From Safety to Where
by Emerald72
Summary: First Multi-Chapter Installment in The Eternity Series. Josef re-turning Mick has some interesting consequences for their relationship...how do they handle it and where do they go from here? Josef/Mick Slash - male/male pairing. Mature Audiences Only.
1. Chapter 1

Title: From Safety to Where

Series: The Eternity Series (First Instalment)

Rating: ranges from PG13 to NC17

Pairing: Mick/Josef, Mick/Beth

Warnings: contains some drug use, sexual references and explicit descriptions of M/M pairing

Disclaimer: All publicly recognisable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Summary: Josef re-turning Mick has had some interesting consequences for their relationship...how do they handle it and where do they go from here?

Author's Note: Many of my Fics are currently being reworked in an effort to constantly strive for improvement of my writing. After some consideration I have decided not to re-work this piece, this was my first attempt at creative writing in close to 20 years and although there has been some minor editing done to it in the past, I am keeping it as close to the original form as possible to serve as a reminder to me of how my writing has progressed.

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**Part 1**

As the last golden rays of the sun sunk behind the earth, giving way to the first silvery traces of twilight, Mick could feel the last vestiges of sleep leaving his body, his mind rising up from the depths into consciousness. He had been dreaming, dreaming of blood and sweat and tears and desire, dreaming of....

Josef!

The sudden realisation caused him to sit bolt upright, banging his head on the door of his freezer that hadn't yet had a chance to quite open properly. He clambered out of the cold sarcophagus in a rush, moving quickly towards the bathroom and the shower that he hoped would wash away the last vestiges of the dream that were still clinging to his confused mind.

He stood underneath the jet of water, arms bracing against the wall, letting the water pour over him. He let out a sigh, leaning forward and placing his head against the cold tiles, uninvited images of his best friends face rising unbidden and unexpected in his mind.

"What the...." He reared back with a start, quickly slamming the shower tap from warm to cold. He stood shivering under the icy needles of water hitting almost painfully against his skin, stood there hardly daring to breathe or move until he was sure that the image of Josef had been frozen out of his mind, until the erection that had risen sharply and suddenly at the mere thought of his friend had abated. Moving quickly he stepped out of the shower, briskly towelled himself dry and dressed rapidly.

"Beth", he had to see Beth, good old dependable non sexually confusing always there for him Beth. He shoved his feet into his favourite pair of worn leather shoes, grabbed his coat and raced downstairs, throwing open the door to his apartment in one fluid movement.

"Josef"...the word came out as a low desperate snarl, he suddenly lunged towards his best friend, knocking him off balance, carrying him across the hallway and slamming him against the wall on the opposite side. He covered his face and lips with desperate kisses, his breath coming in short ragged gasps; he wanted to devour his friend with the passion of it all.

Momentarily thrown off guard, Joseph quickly regained his composure, pushing Mick away and holding him at arms length as he quickly manoeuvred him back into his apartment, slamming the door shut behind him with his free hand. Still holding the struggling vampire at arms length he shouted a commandment at him...

"Relax...Mick, Relax"

Mick swallowed hard, once...twice and concentrated on steadying his breathing, bringing himself back under control. Once Josef was sure Mick had steadied himself completely he released him and took a step back and spoke with his usual cocky aplomb.

"Well hello Mick it's nice to see you too"

The reply tumbled out of Mick in rapid fire succession "Josef oh my god I'm so sorry I don't know what came over....." looking into his friends eyes he felt even more confused than before "Wait, you don't look surprised" Josef thought about making some sort of smartarse quip to ease the tension of the moment, but seeing the look on his friends face decided against it.

"No, no I'm not...it's just something that happens after a turning, it's designed to increase the bond between fledgling and sire...you just never noticed it with Coraline because you two were already in a relationship"

Mick's eyebrows shot up in an arc of surprise..."You mean...?"

"Yes Mick, for the next 12 months at least every time we are near each other we are going to want to...do it like they do on the discovery channel"

Mick ignored that last little quip and looked at Josef incredulously.

"And you were going to tell me about this when?"

"I'm telling you now aren't I", Josef replied "besides if you had known about this beforehand would it have made any difference, considering the circumstances"

An image of Beth, Beth in danger, Beth needing her "guardian angel" rose in his mind. He felt the last vestiges of outrage slip away.

"No, no it wouldn't have"..."So what do we do about this now"

Josef placed one hand on his hip, cocked his head and spoke in an entirely too come hither tone.

"I don't know Mick, what should we do about it", seeing the look of desire that quickly flashed across his friends face he shifted his position back to a more neutral stance and spoke again, this time the tone was serious.

"Nothing...We, do nothing", he nodded towards the door "give me your keys, I'll lock up for you...go on, get out of here ("before I do something we'll both regret", he added silently)

Mick considered this for a moment and then nodded once in silent agreement. Reaching into the pocket of his jeans he retrieved the apartment keys and tossed them at Josef, then turned heel and hurried out of his apartment without so much as a backward glance or goodbye.

Josef watched the lithe muscular silhouette of his friend as it disappeared down the hallway, then stepped back and closed the door of the apartment behind him. Releasing a breath he hadn't been aware he was holding, he slumped against the door and slid down it, his body trembling, his breathing coming in ragged little gasps.

"Shit. Shit Kostan, what the hell have you done this time"


	2. Chapter 2

**Part 2 **

"Do we HAVE to talk about Josef, shit Beth why the sudden interest in what my best friend is doing?"

Beth looked hurt and confused at the savage tone of Mick's voice, he had never spoken that way too her before.

"I'm sorry, I only asked when the last time you saw him was" the tone in her voice soft and mournful in its confusion.

"One week, 2 days, 12 hours and 57 minutes", Mick thought to himself...not that he was keeping track or anything.

Hearing the sadness in her voice he softened immediately and stretched out his arms towards her "I'm sorry Beth, come here"

She moved into his embrace and allowed herself to be enfolded in his strong arms, as he reached up and tenderly stroked her hair. "I'm sorry Beth; I didn't mean to snap at you"

"Well then why did you" she asked in a plaintive voice.

"I don't know, I....I can't explain it to you ok, it's just....it's complicated alright". He was hoping the tone in his voice would stop her from broaching the subject any further.

"Is it a "Vampire thing"" he heard her ask...

"Yeah, yeah that's it...it's a "Vampire thing" nothing for you to worry about"

He felt her stiffen in his arms as she disentangled herself from his embrace and pushed herself away from him, frustration and anger clouding her delicate features.

"Right, of course...a "Vampire thing" and me, being nothing more than a pathetic little mortal, I don't get the privilege, this last word she spoke with mock exaggerated ness, to know about "Vampire things"

Mick took a step towards her opening his mouth ready to offer his usual protests. Beth raised he hands in a defensive gesture towards him.

"No Mick, No...Not this time. I told you I didn't have forever to wait...when you've sorted out what you really want from me you know where to find me" with that she turned her back on him and headed for the door.

"Beth...Beth wait, please I can explain" he called out after her, not daring to make a move to stop her incase it just made things worse. But explain?? how the hell was he going to explain this to Beth "Umm gee Beth well you see it's like this, ever since my best friend turned me back into a Vampire, so I could go save you, I've thought about him every waking moment I have and most of the ones I spend asleep as well and every time you mention his name I have to fight the urge to rush out of the apartment and throw myself into his arms"

The laugh rose unbidden in his throat, catching as it did...he shook his head and stared at the empty space in front of him.

"No, no this was definitely not something that could be explained to Beth. Not now, not ever"


	3. Chapter 3

**Part 3 **

Beth rushed out of Mick's apartment, tears welling threatening to overflow and sting her eyes.

"It's a Vampire thing Beth", she mimicked in a mock high pitched tone heavily laced with ample lashings of sarcasm. "Vampire thing my arse, I have as much right to know what's going on as any...Vampire".

Reaching her car she suddenly knew exactly what she was going to do.

"Josef", Josef would tell her what this was all about. Climbing into the driver's seat she quickly threw the car in reverse, then changed gear and roared forwards, towards Josef Kostan's office building and the answers she was hoping (maybe?) to find there.

Josef Kostan stood turned towards the large glass window that overlooked the expanse of the city that stretched out before him, absentmindedly turning the empty wine glass in his hand, trying to pretend that he hadn't been looking towards Mick's apartment, hadn't been wondering what he was doing in there, hadn't been thinking of his face, his body, his scent, his..."Oh for Christ sake Kostan Stop it!"

Suddenly he was aware of someone standing behind him, he reeled around with a start his body tensing then relaxing just as quickly as he saw who was standing there.

"Beth" he exclaimed, catching Beth slightly off guard"

"Josef? I'm sorry I didn't mean to startle you"

"It's ok Beth", his tone a little more gentle this time, "it's just been a while since a human managed to sneak up on me"

"How long?" he heard her ask

"185 years, 7 months, 3 weeks, 5 days and...He checked his watch....39 minutes, not that I keep track or anything"

"No of course you don't" she replied with mock seriousness

Josef let out a small laugh "Well you do tend to remember these things when you're a 400 year old Vampire" Shifting his voice to a more serious level he asked "what brings you here Beth", as if he didn't already know.

"It's about Mick".....

"Ahh" he replied knowingly "I thought it might have been, perhaps you better come inside"

"I already did" she responded half jokingly

"I can see that" Josef laughed and inclined his head towards the chair positioned on the opposite side of the desk, indicating that Beth should take a seat.

"The door was open and..." she started to explain

"Beth it's ok, really, now what's this about Mick"

"He's acting really weird; I thought you might know what was going on"

"Well yes I do", thought Josef, "but I'm not sure that you want to", instead he responded with his usual amount of snark.

"Mick? Acting weird? Gee who ever would have thought that?"

Beth looked at him and nodded her head slightly in mutual agreement "yes, well no...It's just...he's been acting even weirder than usual lately, I don't know what to make of it" taking a deep breath she broached the subject she had come here to discuss.

"Does it have something to do with you turning him back into a Vampire?"

Josef looked at her with an expression of momentary surprise, "He told you about that?"

"Yes" came the response

Josef considered her for a moment "and what exactly did he tell you Beth"

"Just that you did it because he asked you to, because there was no other way to save me without him being a Vampire again and because you care about him and knew it would crush him more to lose me than it would to lose his mortal coil"

Josef looked at Beth's face awashed with pity and understanding for what he had been forced to do for his friend..."Humans, god why did some of them insist on being so sickeningly understanding all the damn time" he thought to himself.

Pausing in silent contemplation for a moment he considered how to respond to her, decided to wait a little longer and let her continue on.

"He also said something about it being a 'Vampire thing'; I had a feeling he might have been referring to that as well"

Josef arched one eyebrow questioningly "A 'Vampire thing'", well I suppose that's one way of putting it" he paused briefly then continued on "it is a 'Vampire thing" Beth, that's why he didn't tell you about it, he probably knew how you would respond"

"And how's that Josef?"

"Like a human", Beth smarted slightly at the perceived sentiment of the words spoken, she was 'human', she did not belong in their world, she did not deserve to know the secrets they held between them.

Seeing the expression on Beth's face he moved quickly to try and reassure her "It's not like that Beth, it's not that we're trying to keep a wall between you and our world, it's just...look it's complicated alright"

"Yeah, right", she said in exasperation, "that's exactly what Mick said as well" she continued on "Look Josef, all things being considered I have a right to know what's going on, complicated or not"

Josef considered this for a moment and then spoke softly "Yes, Yes Beth I think you probably do" he took a breath and began to speak.

"When a Vampire turns someone" he started slowly "it creates certain...he paused to find the right word...well let's just say it creates certain feelings between the fledgling and their sire"

"Feelings? you mean like feelings" Beth asked in a questioning tone of voice.

"Yes Beth, feelings...those sorts of feelings"

She took a moment to let this information sink in and then spoke again "and if it hadn't been for the turning"?

"Shit Beth, you just had to ask me that didn't you" Josef thought to himself with barely veiled frustration.

The look that past over Josef's face at that moment revealed everything "What...you and Mick", she responded with a distinctly shocked tone in her voice.

"No Beth, not "me and Mick", just me....oh c'mon don't look so surprised, I'm a 400 year old Vampire, you don't think I might view and respond to certain things a little differently than what might be expected of me"

"Well yes I realise that Josef, but...? You and Mick?" she hesitated briefly before continuing on "So you want to have sex with Mick", she questioned.

"Well...ahh yes, yes I do....why don't you?" he looked at her with a teasing knowing glint in his eye. She stared back at him and responded dryly..."Touché Josef, Touché"

Josef's next words were serious and gently spoken "You're a good woman Beth, Mick is very lucky to have someone like you in his life...honestly"

Beth smiled shyly and nodded her head in acknowledgement of Josef's words then stood up "Listen Josef I better be going, I think Mick and I probably have something we need to discuss right now"

Josef smiled and nodded "Yes, I think you probably do...goodbye Beth"

Beth smiled and nodded back "Goodbye Josef", with that she turned and walked out of the office, back to her car and towards Mick's.


	4. Chapter 4

**Part 4**

If Beth had just taken a moment to stop and think she might have realised that rushing over to Mick's to tell him that she had just been to see Josef, who had told her everything, was kind of the equivalent of waving a red flag at a bull. But all Beth could think of at that moment was how she was finally going to show Mick, show him that she could be trusted to know about 'vampire things', that she wasn't like all the rest, she didn't need to be protected from this sort of thing, she was Beth, understanding, dependable Beth.

Reaching the lobby of his apartment building she pressed on the Elevator button marked up impatiently, finally deciding to take the stairs, mounting them two at a time. Mick heard...and smelt her arrival, bracing himself he waited for her to knock, took a deep breath and opened the door.

"Mick", she looked up at him with that tender gaze that had moved him to distraction so many times before, all the tension flowed out of his body and he reached out and pulled her towards him, wrapping her up in his embrace. They stayed like that, enjoying the closeness of each other, for a few moments before Mick spoke.

"Where did you go?"

"I went to see Josef", at the sound of his friends name Beth felt a noticeable tremor run through Mick's body. She stepped back and took Mick by the hand, leading him over to the couch.

"Mick, sit down ok, please" he didn't say a word, just placed himself obediently next to the open space she had indicated next to her. She reached out and placed one hand on his leg, holding his gaze with all the reassurance she could muster.

"Mick, its ok Josef told me everything"

She was not prepared for the force of his reaction. Mick suddenly leapt to his feet a primal roar erupting from his throat "He WHAT!!"

"Mick, no wait you don't understand, it's ok, I'm trying to tell you that it's ok, I understand" she pleaded with him desperately, trying to get the situation back under control again.

But Mick was having none of it "he had No Right, no Goddamn Right at all....I'm gonna kill him...I am. Going. To. Fucking kill him" Beth reached out to try and stop him just as he moved towards the door, ignoring her protests he shoved her roughly aside and raced out of the apartment.

If Mick had just stopped to think for one moment he would have realised that he was just looking for an excuse to see Josef, even if that excuse was tearing him limb from limb, and Beth had provided the perfect outlet for him.

Mick covered the distance to Josef's house in record time, running through the streets with a speed that surprised even him. Reaching the house and finding no signs of life inside he began banging loudly on the doors and windows, rushing from one to the other and back again, pounding and shouting for Josef to "Get out here you bastard, get out here right now".

Mick heard the click of the front door latch, watched as it tentatively opened a crack and Josef's attendant, who Mick could never remember the name of, peered out.

"He's not here Mr St John"

"Well where the hell is he then", Mick snarled in response.

"Gone out for the night sir, to the Electric Hellfire Club" he started to give Mick the address.

"Yeah I know where it is" without so much of a word of thanks or apology for making enough noise to awaken both the dead and undead alike he turned and moved with lightning speed towards the club...anger mixed with desire mixed with hatred mixed with passion coursing through him.

Josef looked down at the nubile young freshie now lying prone across his lap, she had told him her name was Sabrina and he had teased her about being a teenage witch just before he sunk his fangs into her neck, eliciting a sharp cry of pain and pleasure from her. He felt strange; his senses were heightening even for a Vampire, sudden rushes of heat and electricity crashed over him in waves. The freshie opened her eyes and looked up at him, only then did he notice how dilated her pupils were, how her eyes glazed and glittered in the light. What was it this time, ecstasy? Crystal meth? Probably a combination of both he thought to himself, silently berating himself at the same time for not being more careful.

Josef heard, or rather smelt, Mick the moment he burst into the club. His scent was fuelled by the testosterone coursing through him and heightened with the exertion of running at full vampire speed and Josef allowed himself to sniff at the air, separating that scent from the others and pulling it deep into his flaring nostrils.

Of course if Josef had bothered to just stop and think for a moment he would have realised that seeing Mick in the state he was in, with the drugs he had coursing through his veins, was not going to bode well for either of them. But Josef wasn't really capable of rational thought at that time.

He heard the first strains of Punisher by Underground Resistance begin to beat with insistent rhythm through the club, the effects of the drug growing stronger with every passing moment, rising to a peak...and the moment his eyes met Mick's, and the driving beat of the music kicked in completely, Josef lost all semblance of control he might have otherwise had.

He covered the distance between him and Mick with one fluid, graceful and desperate leap, slamming into him and gathering him into his arms with a force that caused Mick's head to reel back on his shoulders, exposing his neck which Josef wasted no time sinking his fangs into.

Moving too fast for human comprehension he pushed and pulled Mick hurriedly towards the unused and conveniently empty storage room that lay at the back of the club. Just as he shoved the two of them through the door and slammed it shut with a sharp backwards kick, he heard the sound of Mick's voice, rising in protest "Josef, wait"...Josef withdrew his fangs from Mick's neck and pressed his face towards him "Mick", he snarled into the younger vampires mouth through gritted teeth, "for once in your life just shut up".

With that he pinned Mick against the wall using the full length of his body, engulfed his mouth with his own silencing any further protest, shoved his knee between Mick's legs opening them and drawing their pelvic area closer together, and began thrusting and grinding against him insistently, matching time with the beat of the music.

Josef felt Mick's body tense for a moment before the last vestiges of control slipped away and he let out a deep throaty growl that reverberated between them and shoved his hips towards him matching the rhythm of his movements. Both vampires snarled and growled with rising pleasure, covering the others lips and face with rapid desperate kisses.

Mick felt Josef's hands reach down and tug frantically at the belt buckle and zip of his trousers, releasing his full length into his hand, his fingers encircling it roughly, stroking him up and down from base to tip and back again, still keeping the rhythm in time to his own driving thrusts against Mick's body. Mick clung on to his friend, burying face into his shoulder and biting through the fabric of his shirt and straight into his flesh to keep himself from crying out. Somewhere amidst the music, the confusion of emotion and the sheer animalistic passion of it all, he could hear Josef saying his name over and over again, the word coming out in short breathless little snarling sobs. At that moment he realised just how absolutely out of control his friend really was and the knowledge of that fact both terrified and exhilarated him, pushing him over the edge, his climax ripping through his body in wave after wave of shuddering release. Moments after he felt Josef's body tense as his thrusts against him grew more rapid, then felt his friend stiffen, cry out and sink his fangs sharply into the base of his neck as the pleasure of his own climax tore through him, the wetness of it spreading across the front of his trousers.

Both vampires slumped to the floor, their knees buckling in the aftermath of their coupling, each pulling the other down with them. They lay like that for a while, still pressed against each other, eyes closed, the rate of their breathing gradually beginning to slow to a steady pace.

It was Mick who broke the silence first "Josef", he whispered

"Yes Mick"

"I'm really mad at you"

Josef let out a sigh which sounded more like a laugh and pressed Mick's forehead to his own before leaning up slightly to place a tender kiss on the top of his head.

"I know you are" he whispered back

With that Mick disengaged himself from Josef's embrace, stood up and adjusted himself back to a more decent state then turned and walked away without saying another word, leaving Josef still lying half trembling on the ground, biting down on his lower lip hard enough to draw blood to stop himself from calling out after him.


	5. Chapter 5

**Part 5 **

Mick had handled the aftermath of what had transpired between him and Josef at the Electric Hellfire Club with his usual grace and maturity...by completely avoiding either Josef or Beth and throwing himself into an endless round of punishing workouts.

That was how Josef found him as he stepped uninvited through the unlocked door of Mick's apartment, muscles straining and release as he pulled himself up over the chin up bar and dropped back down again, repeating the movement effortlessly over and over again. Josef felt his breath catch in his throat just as Mick sensed he was there and dropped to the floor with a soft thud, turning quickly towards him.

"Josef" it came out sounding far more desperate than Mick had intended it to. The two vampires fixed each others stare, each holding the others gaze until finally Josef broke away and looked down at the ground, telling Mick to...

"Put some clothes on damnit, we need to talk Mick"

He heard the soft click of the stereo as the CD disc changer changed discs, the first faint sounds of Exercise One by Joy Division filling the apartment.

"No we don't Josef", Mick countered, pulling a loose black sweater over his head at the same time.

Almost inexplicably, inexorably they began to circle one another, their eyes locking together once again, and the space between them diminishing further and further with each passing step as they moved in time to the hypnotic rhythm of the music.

"Yes we do Mick, why haven't you bothered to come and see me lately" Josef parried back

_When you're looking at life,  
In a strange new room,  
Maybe drowning soon,  
Is this the start of it all?_

"Why did you take advantage of me Josef?"

"I was on drugs Mick, what was your excuse"

_Turn on your TV,  
Turn down your pulse,  
Turn away from it all,  
It's all getting too much._

"I thought you were supposed to be in control Josef"

"I was in control the other night wasn't I Mick" Josef leered at him.

The space between them had now shrunk to the point where their bodies were almost touching and Josef reached out his hand towards Mick, pulling him towards him, wrapping his arms around his neck, gently caressing his cheek with his own, and then pressed his forehead to Mick's. Mick slowly raised his arms and wrapped them loosely around his friends waist, as they both stood there silently, eyes closed, swaying gently in time to the music.

It was Josef who spoke first his voice soft and low in its confession "I was in control"

Mick let out a soft sigh "we can't go on like this Josef, this has to stop"

"I know Mick, I know" he whispered back "Hey it could be worse" he spoke a little louder that time.

"Oh yeah, how do you figure that Josef"

"Well you could have been turned by Guillermo" & at that Mick laughed out loud almost in spite of himself, the sound sending a small thrill of excitement and joy coursing down Josef's spine. It was the first time he had heard Mick genuinely laugh in months and at that very moment Josef wanted nothing more than to sweep Mick off his feet, carry him downstairs to his waiting car and have the two of them drive off into the sunset somewhere. Instead he drew Mick closer to him, pressing his mouth to his, probing his lips open gently with his tongue.

Just as Beth stepped through the open door and let out a gasp, her hand flying up to her mouth, at the scene which confronted her.


	6. Chapter 6

**Part 6**

"Beth!" Mick pulled away from Josef with a start "Beth" he repeated her name frantically but she stood frozen rooted to the spot, her eyes going back and forth between Mick and Josef.

It was Josef who spoke next, adding his usual amount of snark into the mix "Well this isn't awkward or anything...Hello Beth, Goodbye Beth" and with that he nodded curtly and made motion towards the door. Beth stretched out her arm and stood blocking his exit "No Josef, its ok you can stay, I'll leave...looks like the two of you would like to be alone" that last comment she said directly to Mick a barely veiled look of contempt on her face. Josef stepped aside and watched as she turned heel and walked out the door and Mick, the obedient well heeled little puppy dog that he was with Beth, went racing out after her.

He caught up with her in the hallway, grabbing her wrist roughly and pulling her back towards him, almost throwing her off balance.

"Ouch, Jesus Mick stop it you're hurting me"

"I'm sorry..." he dropped his grip letting her arm fall limply to her side."Beth I'm sorry, please believe me whatever you think you saw in there wasn't what it seemed"

"Wasn't what it seemed Mick?" she responded mockingly "What I saw or what I think I saw in there was you and Josef, kissing" she spat that last word out in a whispered hiss.

"Well yeah ok we were, but it wasn't like that...it's a vampire thing Beth, you said so yourself....you said you understood, remember" he pleaded with her imploringly.

"Yeah I understand, I just didn't expect you to go and turn gay on me Mick"

"What the...Beth! For Christ sake what the hell are you talking about? I haven't turned gay...it'..thing...alright Beth?" he said in a frustrated tone of voice.

"Yeah right Mick, a vampire thing, so you keep saying...why don't you go back in there" she gestured sharply towards the door "and ask Josef how much of a vampire thing this is for him"

His eyes widened and his jaw dropped open as the realisation of what she was implying suckered punched the wind out of him, you could have knocked him over with a feather at that very moment. She took the opportunity to turn and run, leaving Mick standing there frozen in disbelief, barely registering her exit until he heard the sound of the stairwell door slamming shut behind her.

And just then all hell broke loose. The past few days of confusion and anger and frustration and desire and heat welled up inside him like a volcano and spewed forth from him with a terrifying force.

"JOSEF!!!" he shouted racing back towards his apartment. Josef heard his name being screamed out, and not in a good way either he quickly thought to himself, and tried to brace himself for whatever was going to come through that door. But Mick was too quick for him this time, roaring into the apartment he rushed at Josef with a speed that Josef didn't know he possessed. "You Bastard" Mick growled at him before picking him and carrying him across the other side of the room, slamming into the large painting hanging on the wall there, shattering the glass with the force of the blow.

Mick knocked Josef to the ground and stood over him raining blows, slashing at his chest wildly, tearing the material of his shirt to shreds and opening large crimson gashes in the exposed skin, with his fingernails. Josef was the stronger of the two, but Mick's strength was being fuelled by blind rage and it was all the older vampire could do to protect himself from serious injury at that moment.

Suddenly Mick grabbed him around the shoulders and lifted him up to meet his face, hissing at him "this is your entire fault". It was just the opportunity Josef had been waiting for, he shifted his weight slightly and caught Mick up in a stranglehold embrace and rushed him across the room, slamming him into the wall on the opposite side and pinning him there with the full length of his body as Mick struggled and bucked and twisted and kicked beneath him.

"Get off me" he roared "Get Off Me".

Josef waited a moment until Mick had stopped struggling and then released him from his grip, stepping away from him, his breath uneven and ragged, the cartilage of his throat bobbing up and down as he swallowed hard and repeatedly. He took another step back and turned to leave, just as Mick grabbed him by the arm and pulled him back towards him. Josef braced himself for another round of fighting but instead Mick spun him around pulled him into a tight embrace and crushed his mouth against his.

"Is this what you want" he hissed as he removed his lips from Josef's mouth and covered his face and neck with hot wet kisses "is it Josef?"

Josef's response was swallowed up by Mick's hungry mouth once more crushing against his, he felt Mick tugging at his belt, pulling it from its loops in one sharp movement, his pants and underwear roughly yanked down at the same time. He broke away from their embrace momentarily to remove his own clothing as Josef stepped hurriedly out of his pants tangled around his ankles.

They came back together just as rapidly as they had separated and Josef's breath burst from his throat in a gasp as he felt the sensation of Mick's naked body pressing against his own, and he thought he was going to lose it right then and there.

"Damn you Mick" he hissed passionately

Mick suddenly pushed Josef back and held him at arms length, snarling in his face "Fuck you Josef".

And with that he shoved Josef roughly to the ground and climbed on top of him, reaching underneath to grab his arse and press him even harder against his body. He began to thrust and rub against him, slowly at first and then picking up pace faster and faster and Josef's hips rose and fell against his own until their movements were nothing more than a rapid blur. Josef wrapped his legs around Mick's waist and clung onto his neck for all he was worth because at that moment Josef was pretty sure he just might be able to fly.

Mick extended his arms and pushed himself up, half lifting Josef off the ground with him. He looked down at his friend, his head hanging back, his throat exposed, his fangs fully extended, blood smeared across his lips where he had bitten down on them in the throes of passion. He leaned forward slightly and looked down at his friends face, into his eyes that were icy blue, rimmed red and rolled halfway back in their sockets, he heard the continual low guttural growling moans that were emanating from his friends lips, reverberating through out his entire body...and in that instant he sailed over the edge, roaring his release as he bit sharply into Josef's neck.

The sudden sharp sting followed quickly by the euphoria of pain, sent Josef into his own shuddering convulsing climax and he lifted his head and sunk his fangs into Mick's chest as his body cried out with it's own release.

Mick collapsed on top of him, utterly spent and they lay there like that for a few moments before Josef made the mistake of reaching up to tenderly brush away a stray strand of hair that was clinging to Mick's damp forehead. He felt Mick stiffen and roll off him, pushing himself into a seated position and moving away until his back rested against the wall behind him. Josef lay there, staring at the ceiling, hardly daring to move or breathe. Finally, after what seemed like hours but in reality was probably only a few minutes, he rolled over onto his side, pushed himself up onto one shoulder, and spoke in a quiet desperate and questioning whisper "Mick?"

Mick turned to look down at him and looked away just as quickly as the emotion in Josef's face registered in his mind.

"You planned this didn't you" he said with a tone of absolute assurance, looking off to one side, not daring to look into Josef's eyes again.

"Mick! No!" Josef started to protest but was cut off as Mick stood up suddenly and started to walk towards the stairs leading up to his freezer room.

"I'm going to bed" he growled over his shoulder.

"Mick, wait...what about me"

Mick bent down and swept up Josef's clothes off the floor and into his arms, throwing them at him in the same series of motion.

"You've got a home to go to haven't you" he said with mock exaggerated politeness"

And without so much as goodbye or a backward glance he turned and walked up the stairs.


	7. Chapter 7

**Part 7 **

Josef watched Mick's retreating form for a moment before he gritted his teeth and stood up, dressing quickly, biting down on the inside of his cheek, trying to pretend that the pain of that was what was causing the tears that were welling in his eyes.

"Fuck you then too, St John", he thought to himself. God he needed a distraction right now, some willing freshie pumped full of drugs and alcohol. He suddenly knew exactly what he was going to do, he was going to go out and get absolutely shitfaced.

Upstairs Mick tossed and turned restlessly in the freezer. He hadn't bothered to shower before climbing into his icy resting place and the combined fluids from himself and Josef had started to dry and freeze, forming obscene little icicles on his lower body. His mind kept bringing up images of Josef's face, the emotion that he read there when he looked up at him...what was it, love? No that was impossible; he was just reading more into it than what he should because of what Beth had said to him earlier. Finally just as the sun reached its peak in the new dawn sky he fell into a troubled sleep, peppered with dreams of Josef Kostan.

Josef had wandered through the streets awhile after leaving Mick's, before he came across what he was looking for. A streetwalker looking the worse for wear stood shivering under the pale light of a street lamp, so high she could barely stand up...he was upon her before she even knew what hit her, draining her in one quick draft, drawing the drugs from her system into himself. He had staggered through the dark streets after that, walking around in circles, enjoying the sensations that coursed through his body until he finally found his way home and collapsed into the cold dark loneliness of his freezer.

He awoke just as the sun was leaving the sky, twilight seeping through the slatted blinds of his freezer room. Feeling seedy and hungover he clambered out of his receptacle and made his way downstairs, fixed himself a glass of blood and considered what the hell he was going to do next. He was going to talk to Mick, whatever doubts he might have had about that left him completely as he drained the glass of red liquid, showered and dressed quickly, shoved a pair of headphones into his ears and walked out the door. His MP3 player blasted I only want you by Eagles of Death Metal into his head and as he walked towards Mick's apartment he sung along silently with the chorus, thinking of Mick.

Mick had awoken about the same time as Josef, fixed himself his usual fare of blood for breakfast, had a shower and dressed in a pair of faded blue jeans and his favourite black sweater. Now he was standing at the large window of his apartment looking down at the silhouetted figure of Josef, standing under a streetlight and looking up towards him. The image vanished in a blur of movement and just then Mick heard the knock at his door. He took a deep breath and walked over to open it.

"Josef"

They stood and looked at each other for a moment, before Mick stepped back and indicated that he should come inside. Closing the door behind him Mick walked over to the kitchen bench top leaning back against it, eyes fixed on the wall just behind Josef, waiting for him to speak.

"Mick...Mick I didn't plan this ok, yeah I knew what was going to happen but...for god sake Mick you really didn't give me much of a choice in the matter".

Mick's eyes fixed onto Josef's, he knew what he had just said was the truth.

"So what Beth said, about this being more than just a vampire thing for you isn't true? He asked

"Yes...No...I mean look Mick I am attracted to you, I have been for a while now...C'mon you know a vampires sexuality is fluid, or at least you will when you're older" he responded

"And that's all there is to it Josef? there's nothing else?"

"Of course not" he replied a little too forcefully.

Mick's mind decided to ignore the implications it had felt at Josef's too insistent denial. Josef took a tentative step towards him, looking over him with questioning eyes.

"Mick?"

Mick stepped back, maintaining the distance between them and held up his hands to indicate to Josef not to come any closer.

"Don't, please Josef just don't come near me right now ok" or god help me we'll both just end up complicating things even further than what they already are he added silently to himself.

They both hung there for a moment, neither one speaking until the silence between them was almost deafening. Finally Mick spoke, "I have to leave now Josef, I have to go and see Beth, and I don't want you to be here when I get back"

Without saying another word he moved past Josef and headed out the door.


	8. Chapter 8

**Part 8**

As he raced over to Beth's all Mick could think of was that he had to get away, away from this city, away from Josef...the final realisation of that had come the moment he had opened the door to see his best friend standing there and every fibre of his being had wanted him right then and there.

Reaching Beth's apartment he hammered on her door insistently, not waiting for an invitation to come inside as she opened up. He burst into the apartment and began to speak rapidly, words tumbling over one another as a bewildered Beth looked on.

"Beth, look ok I know this is hard for you with what you saw and what's happened and everything else but you're right this is a vampire thing and I don't think either of us can control it so I need to get away from here I need to put distance between myself and Josef it's the only way I can stop all of this"

He took a breath and paused for a moment.

"Come away with me Beth"

Beth looked at him wide-eyed as what he had just said to her began to sink in.

"Mick, I can't just up and leave, what about my job, what about my apartment, what about my friends and family?" she looked at him as if the mere suggestion she would just be able to up and run away with him on a moment's notice proved that he had completely lost his mind.

"Please Beth, please I know it probably doesn't make any sense to you but I don't want to lose you, I don't want to lose us and I am so scared that if I stay in this city that that is exactly what is going to happen"

She looked into his pleading desperate eyes and finally relented.

"Ok Mick, ok listen I've got some leave from Buzzwire owing to me, I'll take a couple of weeks, and my Uncle Dan has a cabin out near the Catskills we can go there"

Mick knew it was going to take more than just a couple of weeks but the relief that went through his body at that moment was palpable.

"I'll make all the arrangements for us" he heard Beth say just as he reached out to her and enfolded her in his arms, silently whispering a prayer of thanks into her soft hair.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They had flown out that night, Beth had kept true to her word and made all the arrangements herself, seated side by side on the plane holding hands in comforting silence.

A week had past since then, a week in which Beth watched Mick do nothing but sit and stare out the window of the small log cabin they were staying in, sit and stare and brood, occasionally reaching down to check the screen of his mobile phone.

"Mick?" she approached him cautiously, kneeling down next to him and reaching out to place a concerned hand on his thigh.

"Mick...I don't think he's going to call"

Mick looked down at her as a flash of guilt passed over his face, he started to protest but she put her finger to her lips and hushed him to silence.

"Mick, this isn't working is it? We've been here a week and you've done nothing but stare out that window and think about Josef"

"No I haven't...."

"Mick, remember what I said to you once...Vampires make really bad liars" she paused for a moment and then continued on trying to keep her voice as even as possible. "We can't stay here Mick, you need to go back and deal with whatever this is"

Mick knew deep down that what she was telling him was right, but even so he still felt as if some sort of protest was in order.

"No I don't Beth, I don't have to deal with anything, there's nothing to deal with...all I have to do is just stay away from him and wait for whatever this thing is to pass"

"Mick" she took his hand and waited for his eyes to meet hers "I can't stay here...I can't stay here with you like this, I need to go home Mick"

Panic washed over him as everything he felt all that was safe and familiar and comfortable begin to fall away.

"Beth!"

"Mick no, please ok, don't say another word I've already made up my mind...there's a flight leaving at 6 o clock tomorrow morning and I plan to be on it...with or without you"

She slowly released his hand and stood up.

"I need to go out for a while Mick, are you going to be ok"

He swallowed hard and turned and looked up at her...his voice a husky whisper.

"Yeah, yeah I'll be fine"

She knew he was lying but she didn't have a choice, she had to book tickets for the plane flight home before they sold out. She leant down and kissed him gently on his forehead.

"I want be too long, ok"

He nodded in silent reply, holding his breath, his throat continuing to work up and down as he swallowed repeatedly, waiting until he heard the final click of the door handle as Beth left.

"No!" he threw back his head and roared in utter despair. He leapt to his feet and raced blindly through the cabin, screaming his pain to the walls and ceiling.

"This can't be happening" he thought frantically, the words twisting and turning feverishly in his brain.

He had to do something; he couldn't just let her walk away from him like this. He moved quickly back over to where his phone had fallen from his lap, picked it up and automatically began to dial Josef's number, he would know what to do.

"Josef" he thought suddenly, slamming the cover of the phone shut and throwing it away from himself in disgust, Josef was the whole reason he was in this mess in the first place. Suddenly the idea came to him; if Josef siring him could create these sorts of feelings in him then surely he siring someone else could cancel out those feelings. His mind made up, he sat back down and waited for Beth to return.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Beth returned to the cabin to find Mick waiting for her, a bottle of champagne on ice, a picnic blanket spread with her favourite foods laid out on the floor, a smile of anticipation on his face. She looked at him questioningly; he had obviously gone to a lot of trouble for all of this.

"Mick?" she began

"Beth, Beth its ok...sit down, I've worked everything out its ok you don't have to leave, all you have to do right now is just sit down, relax and enjoy yourself"

She wondered exactly what he had worked out, but decided it could wait and took a seat next to Mick on the floor, reaching out for a bowl of fresh red strawberries in front of her, popping one into her mouth as Mick looked on.

A couple of hours past, hours spent in idle chit chat and the enjoyment of food and champagne (for one of them at least). Finally Beth decided to broach the subject of whatever solution to their situation Mick thought he had come up with.

"Mick? what's going on?, you said you had something worked out? She left the question hanging in the air between them.

Mick reached for her, taking her face tenderly in his hands and whispered to her.

"Beth, don't be afraid".

The instant he said that she was, but she had no time to react apart from a momentary tensing of fear in her muscles. As soon as Mick had spoken those words he was upon her, fangs piercing the jugular vein in her neck, draining the life blood out of her as all around her swirled and fell into darkness.

He lay her collapsing form gently down on the floor and moved over her, biting into his wrist and pressing it against her lips, letting the blood flow into her. He sat back and waited for her to rise, waited for the bond that was being formed in this moment to be realised, waited for this thing with Josef to be washed away from him entirely. Waited and watched....nothing happened.

He must have set there staring at Beth's prone form in mute silence for at least 3 hours. She wasn't human anymore, that much he could tell but neither was she anything else. The phone rang suddenly jolting him out of his frantic reverie, it was Guillermo.

"Hey buddy what's up, where are you haven't seen you around for a while" came the voice over the phone, before Mick had even had a chance to speak.

The reply that came from Mick was confused and reeking of fear and desperation, but somehow Guillermo managed to elicit enough information from him to understand what was going on and to get Mick to give him the address of where he was.

"Hold tight Buddy, I'll be there soon"

Mick dropped the phone without even bothering to hang up or say goodbye. Another 2 hours past before he heard the knock at the door, he stood up on shaky legs and walked over to open it. Guillermo entered first, followed closely behind by Josef.

Mick's eyes snapped wide open at the site of his friend, Josef was careful not to let his own eyes meet Mick's and walked stiffly past him, into the cabin.

"What the hell is he doing here" Mick snapped at Guillermo.

"You know anyone else who has a private jet on standby Mick" Guillermo replied with a tone of disbelief.

Josef walked over to the still shape of Beth lying prone on the floor, still avoiding Mick's piercing gaze upon him, and indicated to Guillermo to pick her up. Mick made a move to stop him, but Josef held up his hand in a gesture designed to halt him.

"Mick" he stated assertively "the pilot's waiting"


	9. Chapter 9

**Part 9**

Mick's shoulders had sunk down in defeat as he followed Josef and Guillermo out the door and to the jet waiting on the tarmac for take off. Guillermo had not failed to notice the silent exchange between Mick and Josef and wisely decided to stay out of it, taking up a position just to the side of the cockpit, whilst Mick kept vigil next to Beth at the back of the plane and Josef sat somewhere in the middle, hands trembling slightly as he poured himself several large scotches.

Josef watched the plane's position on the computerised map overhead, noting when they were due to land. Just before the seatbelt warning sign came on he stood up and made his way towards the small curtained area where Mick was keeping silent desperate watch over Beth.

"Mick?" he didn't get a response, but he didn't get a rebuke either which he supposed was a good thing under the circumstances.

"Mick, the plane will be landing soon, you need to put your seat belt on"

He looked down at his friends face and felt the palpable anguish and grief that was etched there.

"How is she" he asked gently

"I don't know" Mick whispered back his voice cracking, barely audible to human ears.

Josef slowly approached closer to him, reaching out to place a comforting hand on Mick's shoulder. Mick reached up and for a moment Josef thought his hand was going to be brushed away, instead he reached around and took Josef's hand into his own, pressing the inside of his palm to his lips. Josef smiled at him tenderly and leant down to rest his chin on top of Mick's head. They stayed like that for a few moments, Josef letting Mick absorb whatever comfort he could give him before it all finally became too much for him and he collapsed into Josef's arms.


	10. Chapter 10

**Part 10**

It had been more than 2 weeks since Josef had last seen Mick. He had been staying at a hotel payed for by Josef, the idea of going back to his apartment, filled with memories of Beth, too painful for him to contemplate just for the moment. Josef had made arrangements for Beth as well, the best medical care money could buy and a private room in a nursing home where money could also buy protection from curious eyes. Mick had thanked him, genuinely, for that and Josef had tried to pretend it wasn't really anything to thank him for and brushed him off with a casual "what are friends for".

That was the last time they had spoken until Josef opened his door to a visitor at 2 am to find a rather dishevelled looking and grinning Mick standing there. He watched as Mick walked, or rather floated, into the foyer of Josef's mansion without waiting for an invite.

"Are you high?" he asked with a bemused smile.

"Mmm hmmm" came Mick's reply and Josef noticed his jaw was grinding and he was having trouble keeping his eyes from rolling up into the corners of their sockets.

Josef smiled and indicated for Mick to follow him into the private lounge room he sometimes used to entertain guests, asking him along the way if he wanted a drink, which Mick declined somewhat absently. He pressed a glass of blood into his hand anyway and took a seat on the lounge looking up at Mick with a little smile playing on the corners of his mouth. Mick looked down at him, drained the glass of blood in his hand and announced that it was way too quite in here and asked where the music was.

"You know where it is, put on whatever you want" Josef told him

Mick walked over to Josef's CD collection, chose a disc and placed it into the stereo system. The room was filled with the strains of All Because of You by Universal State of Mind and the irony of Mick's track choice wasn't entirely lost on Josef, about 1 minute fifty five seconds into the track, as Mick lay on the floor in front of him, he had to stifle a laugh when Mick raised his arms and began to trace patterns in the air with his hands.

"Having fun are we" he asked.

Mick turned his head and looked at him, all black pupils and no iris, as Josef heard him take a sharp intake of breath that caused his lower jaw to begin to shake.

"Josef? What are you doing all the way over there, I can't reach you"

Josef hesitated for a moment before sliding off the couch and lying down next to Mick, wrapping his arms around him and placing his head next to his, feeling Mick's hair rubbing against his face as he nodded his head to the beat of the music.

"Mick?" Josef said as he listened to the sound of Mick's teeth hitting against one another as his jaw clenched.

"What?"

"It sounds like you're trying to grind your teeth away" Josef replied.

"Josef?"

"What Mick?"

"I love you" he whispered through shuddering teeth.

"No you don't Mick" Josef whispered back to him

"Yeah you're right I don't" that last remark stung Josef more than he cared to admit and Mick quickly followed up with.

"But you do"

Josef felt a momentary twinge of panic run through him and he decided to try and make a joke of what Mick had just said.

"What? Love myself, well it's not like I haven't been accused of that before"

Mick stared at the ceiling and furrowed his brow "No I mean..." his voice trailed off and Josef thought to himself "Yes I know what you mean, just let it go".

Josef tried to distract Mick from the conversation and started tracing circles on his chest through the material of his shirt. Just then the track changed and the first driving notes of Positive Education by Slam began to ring out. Mick reached up Josef's hand, guiding it lower, pushing it down the waistband of his jeans and onto his erection.

"Josef....don't stop" he whispered as he turned his face towards his and pressed his mouth desperately onto his lips.

Josef broke the kiss and kept the hand Mick had pushed down his pants perfectly still. "Mick, I don't want to take advantage of you like this"

He heard Mick sigh gently as he responded back to him "Maybe I need you to take advantage of me right now Josef"

That was all the explanation Josef needed, he crushed his mouth back down onto Mick's, closed his hand around his hardness and began to stroke him firmly in time to the beat of the music, pressing his own straining erection against Mick's hip, through his pants.

He felt Mick begin to writhe and undulate his hips in time to his administrations, felt his fangs scrape against his tongue as he kissed him deeply and knew neither one of them was going to be able to hold out for long. Just then he felt Mick's back arch up as he started to go into the first shuddering strains of his climax and he drew his arm around his neck further, offering his wrist to Mick to bite down on. The sensation of Mick's fangs piercing his flesh caused a rush of pleasure that caused Josef to tip over the final edge, shuddering and snarling his release as he bit into the area just under Mick's ear.

Mick let go of Josef's wrist and reached his arms around his body, they lay there; wrapped up in each others embrace, quietly listening to the others breathing as it slowly resumed its normal rate.

Several hours past like that until finally Josef shifted and raised himself up onto his shoulder, looking down at Mick and brushing the hair from his eyes.

"Mick, the sun will be up soon, I need to go to bed soon"

Mick took a moment to respond to him, looking up at the ceiling as if he was lost in thought.

"Josef?"

"What Mick?"

"Can I stay here with you...please; I just don't want to be alone right now"

"Of course you can" Josef responded understandingly "You can sleep with me in my freezer, there's room in there for two if one of us lies on our side"

Mick nodded and spoke again.

"Josef?"

"Mmm" Josef responded.

"I don't think I can walk"

Josef laughed and kissed him on the cheek "I guess I'll have to carry you then"

With that Josef stood up, bent down and took Mick into his arms carrying him upstairs and placing him gently into the large industrial size freezer before climbing in to lie next to him. Moments later as the cold air swirled around them he heard Mick say in a small wan voice.

"Even if you don't mean it, can you just say it to me anyway?"

"Say what Mick?"

"That you love me, please I just need to hear it" he heard Josef hesitate briefly and swallow away the lump in his throat.

"I love you....now go to sleep" he added quickly.

"Thank you" he heard Mick's muttered reply and listened as his breathing slowed down becoming quieter and steadier as he fell into a deep sleep.

Just before Josef fell into his own repose he pressed his lips gently to Mick's temple and whispered to him silently.

"I love you"

Just as the soft refrain of Wonderful Life by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds floated up from the street below.

_Speak our secret into your hands  
And hold it in between  
Plunge your hands into the water  
And drown it in the sea  
There will be nothing between us, baby  
But the air that we breathe  
Don't cry  
It's a wonderful, wonderful life  
If you can find it  
If you can find it  
If you can find it  
It's a wonderful life that you bring  
It's a wonderful, wonderful thing _


	11. Chapter 11

**Part 11**

Josef awoke the following evening with a start, feeling the empty space next to him that had been left by a very absent Mick. He arose quickly, threw a silk dressing gown around his shoulders and went downstairs.

"Mick, Mick? are you still here?" as soon as he had spoken those words he knew he wasn't going to get any sort of response, Mick wasn't there, Josef could scent that and came to the conclusion (quite rightly) that Mick must have woken up and sneaked out before he was awake.

Moving into the large kitchen he pulled open the refrigerator door and retrieved a packet of fresh blood, poured himself a glass and leant back against the stainless steel doors, contemplating the order of the day's business that needed attending to, wondering if he should go try and find Mick...make sure he was ok after last night (or at least speak to the freshie he had hired to keep track of Mick since the whole Beth turning gone wrong unpleasantness).

It was just then that he noticed the slip of folded white A4 paper lying on the countertop in front of him. He picked it up and saw that the message written on it was in Mick's hand writing.

"Gone to Doctors" it said. Josef furrowed his brow in confusion, "Vampires don't go to Doctors" he thought "what would Mick possibly need from a Doctor", apart from the obvious and he already had Guillermo at the Morgue for that. Then it him, "Gone to Doctors", the vampire Doctor, the one had kidnapped Beth, the kidnapping that had lead to the whole Josef turning him back into a Vampire complication, in his misguided need to lash out and blame someone Mick was going after the Doctor.

"Shit" Josef thought to himself. Mick going after the Doctor and his cronies when he had Josef as backup was dangerous enough; Mick going after the Doctor by himself was practically suicidal.

"Shit" Josef exclaimed again out loud as he bolted upstairs, quickly dressed, ran back downstairs and out the door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It hadn't really been that difficult for Mick to track down the Vampire Doctor that had kidnapped Beth, he had known he was going to go after him the moment he had woken up in the freezer with Josef's arms draped around his upper body after that it was just a matter of sneaking away as quietly as possible (thankfully he found that Josef was a heavy sleeper) and placing a few strategic phone calls...Mick may not have been able to develop many contacts amongst the mortal world, the Vampire community was a different story and for the right price (or supply of blood type) any information could be found, even that of the location of a relocated Vampire.

Josef had found out the location much quicker, all he had to do was make a phone call to the Cleaner and when Josef said jump other vampires were expected to ask "how high". He had made the mistake of taking the car, instead of running at vamp speed; however, and traffic in L.A was a bitch. Mick reached the Vampire Doctor's secret location before Josef had a chance to get they're first and stop him. Bursting through the door to his new offices (now a law firm of all things) Mick rushed in and challenged the Doctor/Lawyer head on. The ensuing fight was short and brutal, Mick had completely underestimated the strength of this guy (or is ability to fight) and soon found himself in the unenviable position of being on his knees with the sharp blade of an axe swinging towards his neck.

With the neat thunk of a blade passing deftly through flesh, the vampire Doctors head separated from his body sending out a neat little spray of crimson. His body stood there for a moment looking almost stunned before it crumpled in a heap. Mick looked up to see Josef standing over him, brandishing a sword in one hand and reaching down to him with the other. Mick took the outstretched hand, expecting Josef to simply help him to his feet. Instead Josef lifted him up and threw him over his shoulder, against the wall, and pounced on him all in the same lightning fast motion.

"You IDIOT" he roared in Mick's face "were you TRYING to get yourself KILLED...What would have happened if I hadn't come along when I did, what would have happened if you had DIED Mick, did you STOP and THINK for ONE MINUTE HOW THAT WOULD HAVE AFFECTED ME, I LOVE YOU FOR FUCKSAKE!!!"

Josef let go of Mick and stepped back from him with a look of sheer horror on his face as he realised what he had just said. This time it was Josef's turn to suddenly about face and walk away, leaving a completely stunned Mick standing rooted to the spot, staring after him with a look of shock etched deep into his features.


	12. Chapter 12

**Part 12**

A week had past since Josef found himself unwittingly screaming his feelings into Mick's face, a week where it had been Josef's turn to be the one who ran, who refused to take Mick's calls and had his secretary fob Mick off with an endless round of excuses as to why "Mr Kostan" couldn't see him at that particular time. Of course Mick could have just slipped past her using his crafty vampire abilities (as Josef would have put it), but that defeated the purpose as far as he was concerned...he wanted Josef to see him, willingly. It was rapidly becoming obvious to Mick; however, that the likelihood of that was becoming increasingly unlikely. He had also noticed around the same time that one of Josef's human thralls had been tracking him. One week after the event, Mick made up his mind to see Josef, one way or another.

Josef did indeed know about the thrall tracking Mick, after all he was the one who ordered it. He knew Mick wasn't sleeping or feeding properly (drug laced blood didn't count as nutritional sustenance for a vampire), he knew Mick spent most nights in a drugged blood filled haze sitting in his car outside the nursing home where Beth lay in a coma like state...he may be playing the complete chickenshit card when it came to actually talking to Mick right now, but it didn't stop him from feeling like he had to keep an eye on his friend (his lover?) or wondering what he was going to do about all of this.

This is the position Josef found himself in as he stared out the large window of his office overlooking the streets of the city below, as he watched Mick's black Mercedes pull into one of the reserved parking spaces out the front of the building. He picked up the phone and called his secretary downstairs, this time instructing her that Mick St John was to be allowed up and to hold all incoming calls.

Josef was still standing with his back to Mick when Mick walked into his office. He watched Mick's reflection in the glass and found himself catching his breath for a moment. He cleared his throat nervously and turned around to face Mick, trying his hardest to put on his best "this is just business" face.

"Hello Mick, sorry I haven't been able to see you in a while...work, you know how that gets sometimes", Mick was sure he meant more than just work but decided to let that slide for now.

"Please sit down" Josef indicated a chair in front of the desk that Mick where Mick was supposed to take a seat, Mick ignored it and walked over to the (expensive) black leather recliner in the corner of the office, somewhere where there wouldn't be a desk forming a barrier between him and Josef...he noticed as he did that Josef still hadn't made eye contact with him and was trying to keep things as formal as possible, although the trembling of his hands kind of gave things away a bit, Mick thought to himself.

"Josef?" he began "we need to talk"

"We do?" what about Mick?

"Don't play games Josef; you know what about...last week? I seem to remember a certain somebody who I thought was "just a friend" making declarations of love"

Josef waved his hand dismissively "Oh that, it was nothing...I didn't mean it, heat of the moment"

"No it wasn't Josef, I think we both know that" the only thing Mick didn't know at that time was how he really felt about it, or how much his turning played into those feelings.

Suddenly Josef pulled something out of left field, "Move in with me" he said to Mick

Mick's eyebrows went up in an exaggerated arc of surprise. "Are you serious?" he spluttered "you practically scream I love you in my face, then ignore me for a week whilst you have someone stalk me for you at the same time and you want me to move in with you?...just like that"

Josef cleared his throat and swallowed "You're not looking after yourself properly, move in with me, it will make things easier" he was careful to try and keep the tone of his voice as nonchalant as possible, but Mick could hear the crack of emotion in it.

"Make things easier? How the hell do you figure that one Josef?....we've had sex three times already, you've recently declared some pretty strong feelings for me and now you can't even look me in the eye...and as much as your trying to put on the big I am Josef Kostan, nothing and no one gets to me act, I can see your hands trembling from here....so tell me again how us living under the same roof is going to make anything easier Josef?"

Josef quickly shoved his hands in his pockets and glanced around the room just above Mick's head. "I don't know, it just would"

"Well of course it would Josef, why didn't I think of this before" he retorted with sarcasm...he paused for a moment before spitting the next words he spoke out with complete exasperation.

"You're insane...." and with that he got up and walked out the door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Hey you!  
You never should've ran.  
You want to make something  
that you can take you down again.  
This time you say your just fine.  
You need a little something  
that can make you smile again.  
Come on. It won't take long.  
You're never going to need  
it when you hear that sound again.  
It's a sin. You're looking kind of thin.  
You need a little bit so you  
can impress everybody._

You're still in a daze.

Mick shoved roughly past Josef's secretary, who had just walked out from behind her desk to head out for her lunchbreak, as he walked (or rather stormed) out the door of Josef's office building.

"Who the hell does he think he is" he muttered fiercely under his breath as he continued running a silent monologue in his head all the way to the car.

"tells me to embrace my inner vampire...well what the hell does he think I've been doing...having me followed and telling me I'm not looking after myself...I'm doing exactly what he's been telling me to do all these years...Jesus fucking Christ"

Even as he thought those words he knew deep down that that is not what he had been doing at all, what he had been doing was going out on a bender, trying to find someone to beat regret and remorse out of his brain with a cocktail of chemical laced blood....and later that night that's exactly what he was doing once again, his fangs piercing the flesh of some young little club vixen who was too off her face to notice what was happening.

This is also how Josef found him at 3 o'clock in the morning at the local dive water nightclub, infamously renowned for it's availability of mood altering substances of all shapes, sizes and colours. Josef had of course kept Mick under surveillance after he'd left his office, swapping the human tracker for a vampire to try and throw him off the scent...it had worked, although Mick's judgement being some what clouded by self righteous indignation had a hand in it as well. Josef had received a phone call around quarter to 3, informing him of Mick's current whereabouts and the condition he had managed to get himself into. Josef had gotten to Mick's location so quickly that he actually paused for a moment to wonder if he might have just broken the vamp land speed record...and as he ran to Mick's rescue a still small voice inside gently berated him "pretend all you want Josef, but it's 3 am and all it's taken is one phone call for you to go running off into the night after Mick".

In the club Mick had managed to point his eyes forward instead of into the back of his head just long enough to see Josef standing over him, a deep look of concern furrowing his brow.

"Josef" he managed to mouth with a far away smile and then made the mistake of trying to stand up...his legs began to buckle underneath and Josef quickly reached out to stop him from falling, as soon as his arms were around him Mick's legs went to jelly and he hung limply around Josef's neck.

"There's little purple lights over everything" he said in a far off voice.

"I'm sure there are buddy", Josef replied "C'mon I'll carry you out to the car, I'm taking you home"

Mick didn't need to ask where home was, even through the haze of drugged blood swirling through his system he knew which home Josef meant. 15 minutes later, after driving through the backstreets of L.A with the windows down and the radio blasting at Mick's insistence (playing Shazam by Spiderbait of all things, which Josef noted with a wry smile was rather apt considering the state Mick was in), they arrived at Josef's. Mick somehow managed to walk himself at least through the front door and slid down onto the cold tiled floor of the foyer and lay there on his stomach like some sort (un)living representation of a welcome mat. Josef lay down beside him and reached over to drape one arm across his back whilst the other gently stroked his hair.

"Josef?"

"What Mick" he replied with a soft sigh.

"You really do love me don't you", he said as if he had only just realised this fact...then drifted off to sleep muttering something about knights and shining armour.


	13. Chapter 13

**Part 13**

Mick awoke several hours later in the exact position he had passed out in, he noted with some amusement (and gratitude) that sometime before he had retired for the night himself, Josef had packed bags of ice around him. Mick pushed himself up onto his knees and arched his back, trying to stretch out the kinks in his muscles, which were uncomfortably stiff and sore from a night spent on the tiles (literally).

He could hear Josef milling around in the Kitchen, cupboards being opened, the clanking of glasses, the glug glug glug of liquid being poured. He stood up and stretched once more before making his way, still somewhat bleary eyed, down there himself.

"Sleep well?" Josef said as he heard Mick enter the room, turning around and giving him the once over at the same time "No, didn't think so". "Blood?" Mick smiled wanly and sat down at the granite bench top "Yes, please...thanks" Josef moved to ring the bell that would summon one of his willing freshies he kept on hand, but Mick motioned for him to stop "Just a glass will do Josef". Josef looked at him and shrugged; "suit yourself" then poured him a tall glass of A+ blood.

"You're not having any yourself?" Mick asked as he took the offered glass from Josef's hand, a small thrill of electricity running through him as his finger accidentally brushed against his hand.

"I've already had breakfast" came the reply "but you enjoy, don't let me stop you"

Mick merely nodded in response, he knew he probably should say something witty in retort but his brain still hadn't quite caught up gear after last night's little "episode", as he had decided to think of it. Mick sat and sipped his blood slowly, feeling the crimson liquid coating his parched throat as he watched Josef pretending to be busy, preoccupied with cleaning the same small particle of imaginary dirt from the granite bench top in front of him. There was complete silence between them until several minutes later Josef announced he needed to take a shower and get dressed.

"Help yourself to whatever you need ok, I won't be long" He went to walk past Mick and felt a hand suddenly grip his arm to stop him. He stepped back and looked at Mick, who was looking up at him with an expression of intense consideration on his face...after a few moments Mick looked away again and said...

"This....this, thing, with us I mean...how long did you say it would last?"

"For you or me" Josef thought to himself but replied "12 months, more or less...why do you ask?"

"No reason" Mick waved his hand in a dismissive gesture and let go of Josef's arm, watching his retreating form reflected in the highly polished stainless steel refrigerator in front of him.

Moments later Josef heard the shower door open and turned around to find Mick standing there staring at him, a confused mixture of desire, uncertainty and yielding on his face. He stepped into the shower and pulled Josef to him.

"12 months?" "Ok, let's just go for it". And with that they collapsed in a tangled mix of limbs, fangs and blood.

"Mick?" Josef said afterwards; propping himself up onto one shoulder; as they lay together on the cold tiled floor.

"What's made you change your mind?"

"Staying away from you didn't work, it just seems..." he paused to find the right word, "easier this way, for both of us"

"I suppose that's one way of looking at it, either that or congratulations you've won the consolation prize" Josef responded.

"You're not a consolation prize Josef" Mick chided him gently.

"Oh really?"

Mick ignored that last quip and changed the subject, truth be told he wasn't sure just what Josef was to him at this moment and he was in no mood to get into a debate over the exact nature of their relationship.

"You said a Vampire's sexuality is fluid, so there have been others; other men I mean"

"A foot servant in 1693, a stablehand in 1741"

"Don't tell me, you rode each other instead of the horses" Mick interrupted.

"Mick!" Josef exclaimed with feigned shock as he playfully punched his shoulder "that was crude."I love it".

"Who else?" Mick said.

"A slavetrader in 1891, a pilot in 1942, if you make any smartarse remarks about the Arcade game I will deck you, and a stockbroker in 1949"

"No one since then?" Mick asked

"Not since..."

"Sarah?"

"Yes" Josef replied.

"You really loved her didn't you?"

"Of course I did, I tried to turn her didn't I"

"Is she the only person you've ever loved?" Mick asked

"Until now" Josef thought to himself but changed the subject instead.

"When are you going to see Beth?"

"I don't know, I haven't wanted to think about that recently"

"So I've noticed." "I think you need to though Mick"

"I know I do, I just don't know what to expect"

"Don't expect Beth" Josef replied.

"Is that how it was with Sarah?"

Josef nodded "yeah, it was"

Mick fell silent, lost in thought with his eyes closed. A short time later he felt Josef's lips brush against his cheek and heard him say.

"We should try and get some sleep; the sun will be up soon".


	14. Chapter 14

Part 14

Josef awoke the next evening to an empty space beside him and the sound and smell of eggs and bacon, as they sizzled away in their respective fry pans, wafting up from downstairs. Climbing out of the freezer and wrapping a silken robe around his muscular frame he made his way into the kitchen, where he observed an overly energetic Mick as he busied himself with the breakfast preparations.

"What on earth are you doing Mick?" he asked with a note of distinct amusement.

"Oh hey, you're up" Mick smiled at him "I just thought I'd do something nice...cook breakfast for us, you know?"

"But Mick we don't..." and then Josef understood, it wasn't the food Mick was preparing for them it was the sound and smell of it. He took the glass of blood that was being procured to him from Mick's outstretched hand and leaned in to kiss him warmly on the cheek.

"Thank you; it's a lovely gesture Mick".

Mick switched off the stove, set the fry pans and their contents to one side and poured his own glass of blood from one of the bottle's that Josef always had on hand. He sipped the crimson fluid slowly, staring down at the glass absentmindedly every now and then before he finally spoke.

"I thought perhaps we could go and get some of my stuff today, I mean if I'm going to be moving in here with you"

"Of course" Josef said.

"And I thought perhaps after that I, I mean we, could go and see Beth"

Josef heard the crack in Mick's voice even as he struggled to maintain an even tone of voice. He walked over to him, took the glass of blood from his hands and placed it on the kitchen counter, and drew him into his arms, enfolding him in a tender embrace.

"How about we do that first" he said, reaching up to stroke Mick's hair and kissing him gently on the side of his face.

"I just need to finish up some work first Mick" he released him from the embrace with a quick final kiss "Let me just get dressed and then we can both head over to the office, I won't be too long, ok?"

"Sure, ok" Mick replied.

Later, as Josef busied himself in the office sorting through numerous files in his inbox and making notations regarding each one in the black leather filofax he had pulled out of the top drawer of his desk, Mick knelt down beside him and took both his hands in his.

"Josef?" he began.

Josef looked at him curiously and smiled "What is it Mick?"

"I meant what I said the other night, you're not a consolation prize to me Josef, I just don't...I just don't know yet exactly what you are to me"

Josef regarded him for a moment and then touched his hands to his lips "Well I suppose we've got the next year to help you figure that out, haven't we?" releasing his hands he stood up and moved around the other side of the desk, over to the door of his office which he opened to indicate it was time for Mick to leave.

"I really need to get this work done Mick, wait for me outside ok, I won't be long I promise".

As Mick headed out the door and down to the waiting area Roberta, Josef's personal (and very human) assistant, stopped him in the corridor on the way back from her coffee break and said,

"Mr St John?...I know it's none of my business what Mr Kostan does in his private life or what you're relationship to him is, but I just wanted to say that this past day or so...well let's just say I haven't seen Mr Kostan looking this happy in a very long time" she smiled and gave Mick's arm a friendly squeeze and Mick smiled back, reaching a hand out to place softly on her shoulder.

"Thank you Roberta that means a lot to me, to Josef as well I'm sure" he said.

"You take care of yourself Mick St John" she responded, just as Josef came out of the office and walked over to join them.

"All finished, are you ready to go Mick?"

"Yeah, ready as I'll ever be" Mick said, calling back over his shoulder as the two of them walked away together.

"You take care of yourself too Roberta".


	15. Chapter 15

**Part 15**

They spent the short ride to the Nursing home in relative silence. Josef felt Mick start to tremble as they approached the front gates of the imposing building and reached out to lay a comforting hand on his thigh.

"You ok Mick? you sure you want to do this?

"No...Not really, but it's not a case of want, Josef; I have to do this" Mick replied emphatically.

Josef considered this for a moment and then nodded understandingly. He pulled into the parking space that had been reserved for him since the time Sarah was still on this earth ("in body at least", Josef thought to himself); climbed out of the car, walked around to Mick's door, opened it for him and reached down to offer him his hand. Mick took Josef's outstretched hand gratefully and felt himself being pulled onto his feet, Josef quickly reaching out with his other hand to steady him as he swayed momentarily.

"Steady there buddy, alright?" Josef noticed that Mick was swallowing repeatedly, the lump in his throat working up and down, up and down. Mick closed his eyes and shook his head a couple of times before drawing in a deep breath and looking up at the sky.

"I'm ok" he said finally, looking into Josef's eyes with a wan smile. "Let's just get this over and done with".

Josef nodded and lead them inside, down the antiseptically lit corridors, to the room where Beth lay wrapped in unnatural sleep. Josef paused by just inside entrance to her room, standing off to one side, and watched as Mick slowly made his way over to her bedside. Mick noticed the Nurses had made an attempt to fix Beth's makeup for her, perhaps they knew he was visiting today and wanted to make her look as presentable as possible; only the colours they had chosen were all wrong, giving her delicate features a harsh look under the artificial lights. He walked over to the small cabinet next to her bed and removed a box of tissues, along with the small bag filled with assorted lipsticks and eyeshadows that he found inside. Gently wiping away the garish colours that stained her eyelids and lips, he set about lovingly sweeping a soft neutral tone of eyeshadow across her lids and brushing her lip tenderly with a muted rose tone of lipstick.

"This should never have happened" he said finally and Josef knew he meant more than just Beth's turning gone wrong. Before he had a chance to respond a feminine voice, dripping with barely concealed triumph, floated up from behind them.

"Well, well, well", it gloated "If it isn't Mr Moral Superiority himself, oh how the mighty have fallen".

Mick quickly whipped around; eyes wide open, and exclaimed sharply

"Coraline!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Josef quickly moved over to Mick, placing one hand protectively on his shoulder. Before he had a chance to hurl a dagger of cutting wit, Coraline had sized the situation up and announced...

"You re-turned him didn't you" without waiting for a response she followed up with a patronising,

"Awww and don't you two just make the cutest couple"

Josef felt Mick reach up and squeeze his hand, indicating to him that he should hold his tongue, Coraline certainly didn't need any encouragement; from either of them.

"What do you want Coraline" Mick demanded, as he stood up and wrapped one arm tightly around Josef's waist.

Coraline moved forward and, brushing Josef to one side, wrapped her arms around Mick's neck and nuzzled his neck and chin.

"Don't be like that Mick", she pouted "Isn't a wife allowed to visit her husband"

"You're not my...." before he had a chance to finish he saw Josef's retreating form out of the corner of his eye.

"Josef?!"

Pushing Coraline away; he ran out after him, catching up with him in the middle of the long corridor.

"Josef" he repeated, grabbing Josef's arm.

Josef regarded Mick with a soft smile "I'll just go and organise for your stuff to be bought over ok" and with that he pulled away from Mick's grasp and turned and walked away.

"Josef?!" Mick called out after him, getting no response in return.

"Josef?....Wait!"

"Oh leave him", he heard Coraline say as she stepped up beside him "poor lovesick little puppy"

"He's not in love with me Coraline, it's just the effects of the re-turning" Mick tried to insist.

"Oh, Oh of course not Mick" Coraline responded in a tone of voice which said "I don't believe that for one second, do you?".

Mick shook his head and let out a deep, exasperated, sigh. "What do you want Coraline?"

"I need your help, Mick" she said gently this time, one hand reaching up to touch his shoulder "I'll pay you for your time, but I think it's something you're going to want to help me with anyway" She took one step forward and indicated for him to follow her. "Come on, you can drive me back to your place and we can discuss it there"

"I'm staying with Josef now"

"Well of course you are" she responded with a wry smile.

"You know I'm really not that surprised at you and Josef getting together" Coraline said in the car a little later, as they drove towards Josef's place.

"It stands to reason" Mick glanced sideways at her, as she continued "you're both immortal, you're both going to live forever, you already get along far better than you and I ever did or could; once all of the human distractions in your lives had passed on, well...of course it follows that the two of you would find each other eventually"

Mick considered this for a moment and decided he didn't want to discuss this with his ex-wife. Reaching out to turn on the radio he heard the chorus of Black Bugs by Regurgitator begin to waft out of the speakers. Cranking up the volume he silently sang along...

_What's at the end...  
What's at the end...  
What's at the end of Satan's rainbow_

He glanced over at Coraline and couldn't help thinking to himself

"What's at the end of Satan's rainbow indeed".


	16. Chapter 16

**Part 16**

The rest of the, thankfully brief, car ride to Josef's (now Mick's as well, or so he assumed) was spent in relative silence; save for the thump thump thump of Mick's car stereo bass speakers. Finally arriving at their destination ("in one piece for now", Mick noted to himself only half jokingly), he pulled into the driveway and drove up to the imposing building, that was Josef's abode, at the end of it. Parking the car in one of the spaces reserved for V.I.P guests, he quickly climbed out and moved around to Coraline's side door, opening it for her and offering her his hand; which he withdrew just as quickly as soon as she had alighted from the vehicle.

"Some things never change, always the gentleman as usual, Mick" Coraline remarked to him with a deliberately coy smile.

Mick merely grunted in noncommittal response and ushered her towards the front door and then into the front parlour of the house. The first thing he noticed was how neat and tidy it looked, unusual considering he was expecting there to be boxes, filled with his stuff, cluttering up the space.

"Maybe Josef's already unpacked it and put the stuff away for me?" he thought to himself and then quickly dismissed such an idea as being decidedly "un-Josef like". No Josef wouldn't have done the work himself; he would have left it almost entirely up to Mick; whilst he made sarcastic little quips from the sidelines about how the colour and quality of Mick's shirts in the wardrobe completely clashed with the fine reputation of his own.

"Wait for me in there" Mick instructed, gesturing Coraline towards one of the small waiting rooms just off to one side of the large foyer. "I need to speak to Josef first". Without waiting for a reply he began to move quickly through the house calling out,

"Josef? Josef where are you?"

"Ah your back" he heard Josef say as he stepped out of one of the many rooms of the house that he'd had converted to an office "is the she devil still with you?"

"She's in the first waiting room" Mick replied dismissively, hurriedly adding "what's  
going on Josef, where is all my stuff?"

"At your apartment, where it should be Mick"

Mick stood and stared at Josef, momentarily bewildered and confused.

"Wait there" he said, finally, with an exasperated sigh and headed back to the room he had left Coraline in.

"Yes Master, your wish is my command" Josef called out after him with mock exaggerated sincerity, making a grand sweeping bow at the same time.

"Something's come up, I can't do this with you now Coraline" he said as he walked into the room, shoving her handbag and coat into her arms at the same time and quickly manoeuvring her back out into the foyer and towards the front door.

"Trouble in paradise, Mick?" she noted with a far too knowing smile.

"No, it's just..." Mick stopped himself; "it" was none of Coraline's damn business.

"Just go to the apartment and wait for me there, ok"

"And just how do you propose I get to the apartment from here, Mick?" Coraline said with sneeringly polite overtones.

"You've got a cell phone, Coraline, call a Taxi" Mick responded with equally derisive politeness, before pushing her out the door and hurriedly returning to where he had left Josef.

Pulling him into the converted office, he shut the door behind them and once more demanded to know.

"What's going on Josef? where is all my stuff"

"It's at your apartment, where it belongs, just like I told you before, Mick" Josef replied with equal amounts of determination.

Mick rubbed his hands over his face, pressed his fingers to his lips, shook his head and spoke a single word,

"Why?"

"You're not here because you want to be here, Mick" Josef said "You're here because you don't have the energy to fight the effects that my re-turning you has had"

"So what? why the hell does it matter exactly why I'm here" Mick responded rapidly, half spitting out the words as he spoke "I'm still here aren't I?...I'm still here, with you"

He saw Josef's expression soften slightly as he said "Yeah, yeah Mick I guess you are" but Mick was too riled up to let it go that easily.

"Just what the hell do you expect from me, Josef?" he ranted "Do you think any of this has been easy for me? you might be used to these sorts of feelings but I'm not, ok!"

"Ok, Ok Mick, I'm sorry" Josef moved to quell Mick's tide of emotion, holding out his hands towards him in a comforting gesture, but Mick was still having none of it.

"You want me to leave, Josef? Is that it? you want me out of your life?"

"NO!" Josef responded quickly and forcefully "No" he repeated, gentler this time "that's not what I want at all Mick...I want you here, with me" and with that he wrapped his arms around Mick's waist and drew him to him, pressing his body close to his and peppering his face and neck with dozens of tiny hot, wet kisses.

"Josef" Mick said, breathlessly; swooping and darting his own kisses over his lover's upturned face "You...confuse me...this whole situation...confuses me". He grabbed Josef's head and held it firm, his fingers tangling in his hair, his forehead pressing against his own, and whispered imploringly "please don't make this any harder for me, than what it already is".

"Ok, Ok I'm sorry, Mick, I'm sorry " Josef half spoke into Mick's mouth as his lips sort his, the response being partly swallowed as he pressed his mouth to Mick's in a desperate, passionate kiss.

They shed their clothing rapidly, hands fumbling slightly at the buttons and zippers of their outer garments. Josef could feel Mick's body shaking with desire as he pushed him down onto the long couch that stood against the wall and snaked his tongue down his torso, before taking his hardness deep into his mouth; feeling it's fullness against the back of his throat, his throat muscles working spasmodically around it. Mick gasped and clutched Josef's head, grabbing fistfuls of his hair as he arched his back and moved his hips in time to Josef's expert administrations. Josef was good at this..."a little too good, actually" he thought to himself as he realised he wasn't going to last long.

Josef could feel Mick's hardness growing even more, as he worked his mouth and tongue over his shaft...could feel the muscles in his body beginning to tense; his passion coiling tighter and tighter, ready to explode. He quickened his movements and sent Mick spinning over the edge; reaching up his wrist to offer to him to sink his fangs into, as he snarled and shuddered with release; his climax pulsing deep into the back of Josef's throat.

Mick's orgasm finally spent, he reached down and pulled Josef up further towards him, his mouth hungrily seeking his, tasting the saltiness of his own fluids that lingered there. Josef responded to the kiss with a fierceness of passion which beheld the level of arousal that pleasuring Mick had created within him. Mick shifted his hips slightly, allowing Josef to press himself tighter against him, and gasped with satisfaction as he felt the sharp pleasurable sting of Josef's fangs, as he sunk them deep into his shoulder, and the spreading warmth of Josef's release as it flowed over his lower torso.

Josef withdrew his fangs from Mick's shoulder and reached up to grasp his head with both his hands, his fingers gripping Mick's hair tightly. He held him like this for a moment; his throat working up and down in large gulps as he swallowed repeatedly; his breathing hard and rapid against Mick's face, before he finally spoke,

"I love you...I love you, God help me I wish I didn't but I do", the words rushed out of him in one desperate and torrential outpouring of sudden overwhelming emotion and he felt Mick's body tense and shift slightly underneath him. For one brief maddening moment he was certain that Mick was going to push him away, but instead he wrapped his arms around him and drew the both of them down to lie together in a tight embrace on the long couch.

"I know, I know you do Josef" Mick whispered into his hair as he kissed his temple softly, just before they both fell into an exhausted sleep.


	17. Chapter 17

**Part 17**

"Josef?" Mick said, waking up a few hours later and tapping Josef's face gently to try and rouse him.

"Josef, wake up"

"Huh?...Huh?! What?!" Josef responded with a start, rolling off the couch and dragging Mick with him at the same time. They landed together, with a hard *thud*, on the floor below and Mick groaned as his head jerked back and struck the polish wooden floorboards.

"Ouch, that hurt" he exclaimed

"Sorry" Josef said somewhat sheepishly, "you ok?"

"Oh yeah I'm fine, I just hit my head on the floor, no biggie" he scoffed, rolling his eyes with false sincerity, tongue firmly planted in cheek.

"Oh well, at least you landed on the thickest part of your body then" Josef shot back at him smirkingly.

"Hey!" Mick said, pouncing on him and straddling his upper torso, "that's not a very nice thing to say, Josef". He pouted briefly and momentarily feigned wounded pride; before he pinned Josef's arms above his head with one hand, whilst he tickled him mercilessly with the other.

Josef kicked and squirmed underneath him, squealing and begging Mick to "Stop it! You know I'm ticklish, Stop it!"

"You want me to stop, Josef?" Mick asked, his fingers still darting relentlessly over Josef's chest and the sides of his torso.

"YES!" Josef cried out emphatically, laughing and trying his best to wriggle away from the onslaught of Mick's fingers.

"Do you give up?"

"YES! Yes I give up" Josef responded laughingly, almost out of breath.

Mick ceased his administrations and reached up to grab both Josef's wrists with his hands; keeping his arms pinned above his head as he pressed the full length of his body against him and began to nuzzle his neck, fangs slightly extended, nipping gently at Josef's flesh.

"Mick? Mick come on, not now save it for later, we both need to have a shower first"

Mick could feel the dried stickiness of their recent coupling and had to admit Josef was right. He reluctantly dragged himself off of Josef's tempting form and pulled himself into an upright, standing position. Suddenly he reached down and scooped Josef up, throwing him over his shoulder in a fireman's lift, all in one fell swoop.

"What the hell are you doing, Mick?"

"Taking you to the shower" Mick replied with a triumphant laugh.

When they reached the black marble tiled room that was one of Josef's many bathrooms, Mick placed Josef gently back on his feet and Josef leaned in and kissed him softly, playfully punching his arm just moments later.

"You are such a dork sometimes, you know that Mick?"

"Yeah I know, but you love me for it" he said teasingly

Josef smiled and pulled the two of them into the large glass petitioned shower cubicle, turning on the water; adjusting the temperature so it was pleasantly warm (which for vampires was closer to barely lukewarm than it was to humans) and manoeuvring them both just underneath the direction of it's cleansing flow.

Mick grabbed Josef around the waist at the same time, spun him around to face the same way he was and then drew him nearer to him; one arm encircling him tightly; his stirring arousal pressing firmly against the hard curve of his lower spine. He reached out and pumped a small amount of liquid soap from the dispenser just above their heads and began to languidly massage small circles over Josef's chest and stomach; slowly lathering up the sweet smelling soapy foam. Josef closed his eyes and rocked back on his heels, pushing himself back against Mick even further, letting out a soft moan as he felt Mick's hand reach down and stroke his thigh.

They stood like that for a moment, eyes closed, rocking against one another; Mick's soap lathered hand gently caressing Josef's body as the water flowed over them. Then Josef reached up behind him with one arm and draped it around Mick's neck, pressing his head back against his chest, turned slightly towards him; with his neck extended, and asked

"What are you thinking?"

Mick kissed his neck gently "I...am thinking...that...ever since you re-turned me, every time I'm near you I forget myself...and the world...and everything in it, and..." he continued on "I am thinking...that...maybe Coraline was right, maybe we would have ended up together eventually, regardless of what has happened, and...I am wondering just exactly when you did fall in love with me, Josef"

"Want to know what I'm thinking" Josef said, ignoring Mick's last musing and turning around to face him directly as he encircled his arms around Mick's neck.

"What?"

"I am thinking..." he paused briefly and leant in to Mick a quick peck on his lips, "that if I don't have you right now", he kissed him once more "I am going to go out of my mind" and with that he let out a half strangled cry and pulled Mick down onto the wet tiled floor, with him.

The coupling that followed was brief, but intensely passionate, as they both sort to devour one another with snarling kisses, thrusting themselves against one another with increasing speed and ferocity; simultaneously reaching the pinnacle of their mutual pleasuring and sinking their fangs deep into each others flesh.

When it was over they lay together for a while, on the cold tiled floor; just like they had the night before, wrapped tightly in each others embrace, the flow of the shower beating steadily down on them. It was Josef who finally broke the spell of their post amorous contentment.

"Come on Mick" he said, getting to his feet and pulling Mick up with him; stepping out of the shower and handing Mick a towel at the same time, "you can't keep her majesty waiting at the apartment for too much longer".

Mick rolled his eyes in silent acknowledgement, dried himself off briskly then dressed rapidly; dragging on an old pair of jeans and pulling a jumper roughly over his head; and moved downstairs, with Josef following closely behind. He grabbed his set of car keys off the little table just inside the foyer of the front entrance and then turned to Josef and half requested, half instructed,

"I want you to come with me".


	18. Chapter 18

**Part 18 **

"What? Are the two of you joined at the hip now?" Coraline said with a haughty air, as Mick walked into the apartment with Josef following closely behind. Josef gave her a sardonic smile and pulled Mick to one side.

"I'll start packing some more of your things" he started to say, brushing some imaginary lint of Mick's collar and straightening his shirt for him at the same time "In the meantime, Mick, don't let her goad you into anything; you keep your wits about you, ok?"

"I will" Mick replied, grabbing Josef's hand and pressing it to his lips graciously. Mick then walked around and sat down on the recliner opposite the couch where Coraline sat and looked at her challengingly.

"Ok Coraline, spill it; what exactly are you doing here and more to the point how are you here"

"You mean how did I escape from Lance?" she didn't wait for a response "let's just say that our mutual sire has a weakness for women of a certain character and is easier to, shall we say, 'persuade' than what my brother is"

"You mean seduce, don't you Coraline" Mick said with a note of disgust in his voice.

"If you want to put it like that, Mick" she smiled at him coquettishly.

"Well it's good to see some things never change, you're always the courtesan Coraline" Mick replied with more than a hint of sarcasm, emphasising the word 'courtesan' as if he meant to say something else; which he did.

"Well it certainly worked on you; once upon a time, Mick" she shot back with a triumphant smirk.

Mick tossed his head back slightly and rolled his eyes, before looking back at her with one eyebrow raised and a challenging look in his eyes that said "come on, give me your best show, I dare you to" Coraline shifted tack and came over to Mick, squatting back on her haunches in front of him and taking both his hands in hers. When she spoke she sounded more than sincere.

"Mick, Mick I have wonderful news" she squeezed his hands gently "it's about the cure"

"Been there tried that Coraline, it didn't work out so well" Josef couldn't help overhearing that last remark and tried not to let it sting him too much, he knew that's not what Mick had meant even if his initial knee jerk reaction was to take it personally.

"No, no Mick you don't understand; we've done it, we've made the cure permanent" She saw Mick sit up straighter and lean towards her, felt him squeezing her hands in return, just as Josef stopped dead in his tracks and spun around to glare at her, sending wide eyed daggers flying in her general direction. She glanced up at him and gave him a conquering smile before turning her attention back to Mick.

"Permanent Mick, just think about it, we can completely reverse the effects of a turning"

"Reverse the effects of a turning?" Mick said hesitantly, in a state of almost disbelief. As soon as he'd spoken those words his mind cried out to him, "BETH!"

"Yes...yes Mick, absolutely, it would be like it never happened; all we have to do is go to Paris and collect it, it's waiting for us there".

Mick leant all the way forward suddenly and kissed Coraline impulsively on the cheek then leapt up shouting

"Josef? Josef we're going to Paris"

"Great, I'll pack my Beret" he quipped back.

Later that evening Josef paid a visit to Coraline in the hotel where she was staying.

"What exactly are you up to this time, Coraline" he said

"That's for me to know and you to have fun finding out, Josef"

"Oh I intend to, Coraline, we both know there is no way for the cure to ever be made permanent"

"Oh I know you know all about that, Josef, you're the one who helped create it after all" "Mick doesn't know about that though, does he Josef?, I wonder why you've never told him, what with the two of you being so close at all"

She heard Josef's sharp hissing intake of air as he looked like he could almost breathe fire. He turned and walked towards the door, turning back towards her just as he stood one step outside the entrance and spoke in a tone that was so icy it would have frozen the blood of any mortal.

"I don't know what you're up to Coraline, but I am going to find out and I am going to stop you...one way or another"

"Well in that case, Josef let the fun begin"

"Oh it is so on" he snarled at her, just as she slammed the door shut in his face.


	19. Chapter 19

**Part 19**

The three of them boarded Josef's private jet, bound for Paris, the next evening. If Mick noticed the overly polite tension between Josef and Coraline, he certainly didn't mention it and hardly seemed aware of it. They took their respective seats, Coraline seated opposite Mick and Josef, who were seated immediately next to one another; fingers entwined; seatbelts engaged as they waited for the plane to take off and reach its flying altitude. Once the plane was safely in the air they disengaged their seatbelts and Mick lifted up the seat of the arm between himself and Josef and snuggled into him, allowing himself to be enfolded deep into Josef's embrace as Josef reached down and gently stroked his face at the same time.

Coraline looked on with barely concealed jealousy,

"Get a room you two" she said disdainfully, rolling her eyes at the same time to emphasise her disapproval.

Mick opened his eyes and glared briefly at Coraline before looking up at Josef, who was looking down at Mick with a wicked grin playing across his face.

"You heard the lady, Mick" he stood up and offered Mick his hand, then lead him down to the large bedroom, normally reserved for Willing Freshies on particularly long flights, at the back of the plane.

"Wanna join the Mile High Club" he breathed, as he pulled Mick into the room with him and began to manoeuvre him over to the large king size bed in the centre of the room.

"Oka...." Mick's response was halted mid word by Josef's mouth pressing against his lips and his tongue eagerly seeking his own. Josef pulled him down onto the bed and Mick immediately broke the embrace, flipped Josef onto his back in one fluid movement and climbed on top of him, sitting astride him and pinning his arms to his sides with a firm grip.

"Oh no you don't, it's my turn" he said with a salacious grin as he noted with satisfaction that Josef's eyes had flashed blue and his fangs had descended slightly as he looked up at Mick and snarled with approval.

Mick unbuttoned Josef's shirt and kissed and snaked his tongue down Josef's chest and torso, before reaching his crotch and quickly unzipping his pants, releasing him from the constraints of his underwear and taking him into his mouth.

After a few moments Mick had to admit that he had no clue what he was doing and his attempts at fellating Josef were awkward at best.

He looked up at Josef and said "I'm not doing this right am I?", before moving back up and letting out an exasperated sigh as his head flopped back against the pillow next to Josef's.

Josef rolled over and raised himself up onto one shoulder "Mick", he said softly, looking down at him with a slightly amused smile pulling at the corners of his mouth, "it's your first time, I don't expect you to be an expert at it and neither should you"

"Yeah...but...that's easy for you to say Josef, you're good at it" Mick replied with frustration.

"Well I have had a bit more practice at it than you have Mick" he chided him gently.

"I just thought..." Mick stopped mid sentence as he struggled to find the right words for what he was trying to say

"You thought that because we have the same parts, that you would automatically know exactly what you were doing" Josef finished for him

"Well...yeah"

"I'll let you in on a little secret Mick, the first time I went down on another guy, I honestly felt like I needed a map and directions; I had absolutely no clue what I was doing"

"Really?" Mick said with interest, rolling over onto his side and raising himself up onto one shoulder to face Josef.

"Yes Mick, really" Josef replied laughingly, "you just need a bit of guidance that's all" with that Josef reached for Mick's hand and took his index and forefinger into his mouth, moving his lips and tongue up and down them in an imitation of what he wanted Mick to do to him. After a few moments he stopped and pulled Mick to him, kissing him passionately before instructing him to

"Do 'that', down there"

Mick grinned at him enthusiastically and quickly shifted his way back down Josef's body, taking him into his mouth once again and allowing himself to be instructed by Josef's words and his hands on the back of his head; gently guiding the pace of his pleasuring.

Mick steadily began to feel more confident in his abilities, getting a good rhythm going and noting with an inwardly satisfied smile that Josef was arching his back and growling deeply with arousal as he reached down to pull Mick's arm towards his mouth, preparing to sink his fangs into his wrist the moment his approaching climax tore through him.

Out in the main lounge area, Coraline remained seated in the same spot; fingers white knuckling the arm of the chair as she listened, with growing hatred and anger, to the deep growls and snarling sighs of the coupling coming from the room behind her.

"Enjoy it while it lasts, Josef" she thought to herself with a triumphantly bitter smile, "it's all going to change when I re-sire him myself"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Well, I almost feel like I need a cigarette after that" Josef said with a wickedly satisfied smile after they had finished exploring and pleasuring each others bodies. Mick lay down next to Josef, one hand absentmindedly playing with his chest whilst he cocked his head and listened for the sound of Coraline out in the main area of the plane.

"Do you think she heard us?"

"Mick, of course she heard us, I suspect the pilot may have as well"

Mick felt a slightly warm sensation spread over his face and realised he was actually blushing, quite an achievement for a vampire. He stifled an embarrassed giggle and decided to change the subject by asking Josef something that had been playing on his mind of late.

"Josef?"

"Mmm, yes Mick?"

"How come we haven't actually had sex yet" he asked with genuine curiosity

Josef burst out laughing and then realised Mick was actually being serious, still he couldn't help responding with more than a hint of cheek in his voice.

"Ummm Mick? We haven't exactly been playing footsies these past weeks, now have we?"

"I know that, Josef" Mick responded, drawing out Josef's name slowly, in a frustrated tone of voice, "I just mean...." he trailed off as if he expected Josef to know exactly what he meant.

"What? what do you mean oh over analytical one" Josef teased him before finally deciding perhaps he should give Mick a break and actually answer his question; after all, Josef had to admit to himself, Mick wasn't exactly a man of the world when it came to affairs between men.

"It's ok Mick, I do know what you mean". "You want to know why we haven't done "it" yet, ye olde back door revelry, correct?"

"Yeah" Mick said, leaning in and listening attentively with genuine interest, causing Josef to laugh and put on an imitation Yoda voice.

"Much to learn then you have, young Master St John"

"Josef" Mick responded back, with exasperation, through gritted teeth "quit it, I'm being serious"

"Ok, Ok, I'm sorry Mick; it's just that you're so damn cute when you're being all serious and attentive like that"

Mick rolled his eyes and looked at Josef almost challengingly; waiting for him to continue what he had started to say before.

"Mick" Josef began gently, "I'll let you in on another little secret of the affairs between men" he leaned in and whispered to Mick with a conspiratorial tone, almost as if he as imparting a great secret to him "not all men actually do that with one another"

"Really?" Mick blurted out with genuine surprise, "You mean you've never...with the stablehand and all the other guys you were with, you never...."

"No Mick, not 'never', if my partner is interested enough in it then maybe, occasionally, personally though I think you can give and receive just as pleasure using your hands and" he paused and let out a soft snarl, extending his fangs slightly," mouth".

He saw a shudder go through Mick's body as he said the word "mouth" and quickly moved off the bed, stood up and adjusted his clothing back to a more respectable state; then reached down to offer his hand to Mick.

"Come on" he said, "Make yourself decent, we need to take our seats again, the plane will be landing soon"

They walked out into the main area together, arms around each others waist, to find Coraline sitting on her chosen seat; reclining slightly to one side, one leg crossed over the other and swinging up and down, as she drummed her fingers against the arm rest in an infuriated rhythm.

"Did the two of you have fun" she asked haughtily

Josef pulled Mick to him and once again snarled softly, allowing Coraline to see his fangs descend and his eyes flash a hint of pale blue as he snaked his tongue out and ran the tip of it along Mick's neck; feeling Mick's body go slightly limp with submission as he did.

"Oh we did, Coraline, We did" with that he led Mick to the chair next to him and fastened both their seatbelts in preparation for their landing at the Roisy Charles De Gaulle Airport.


	20. Chapter 20

**Part 20**

Josef had a limousine service pick them up from the airport and take them to their Hotel on the Place du Parvis Notredame, overlooking Paris's most famous Cathedral. The ride from the airport to the hotel was spent in relative, terse silence, Coraline letting out audible huffs of breath every so often and Josef doing his best to antagonise her even further by continuously and seductively running his hand along Mick's thigh and nuzzling his neck with his lips, pausing every now and then to nip gently at the skin with his fangs until Mick finally had enough and told him to quit it; sensing that Josef was starting to push Coraline just a little too far.

Josef moved away and spent the rest of the trip staring out the window and sulking, shrugging off Mick's tentative attempts at re-establishing some sort of affection; causing Mick to eventually blurt out in utter frustration "My god you can be difficult sometimes Josef", as Coraline looked on and smiled mirthlessly. Finally reaching their hotel, they disembarked with their luggage and made their way to the front desk to check in, quickly discovering that there had been a mix-up with the arrangements of their accommodations.

"You are Mr and Mrs St John? Oui?" Mick heard the desk clerk ask with a heavy French accent. "You are booked in for the married suite, with the double freezer, non?"

The hotel was known for its Vamp friendly service, having been founded by a Parisian Vampire of some note, at least 200 years ago, whose current whereabouts were unknown but whose hotel still remained as a refuge for Vampires travelling to the French Capital. As Mick listened to the desk clerk he realised with growing anger that Coraline had 'accidentally on purpose' booked them in as a couple, effectively attempting to separate him away from Josef. It was right at this moment of realisation that Mick decided the best way to handle the situation was to cause a complete scene.

"NO" He roared furiously, grabbing Josef by the arm, pulling him over to him and practically shoving him under the bewildered clerks nose "NO NO NO NO NO, this is my partner, NOT her" he jabbed a finger in Coraline's direction. He spelt the letters of Josef's name out, "J-O-S-E-F K-O-S-T-A-N", spinning the booking computer around to face him at the same time and frantically stabbing at Josef's name on the screen with his finger.

"Mick" Josef snarled at him under his breath, grabbing his upper arm with an iron grip and digging his nails into his skin just enough to make Mick flinch slightly, "calm down you're causing a scene, just let it go; we can work this out in the morning". Josef looked over at the, by now, completely stunned clerk and mouthed the word "fledgling" in French to him, smiling as graciously and apologetically as he could possibly manage.

But Mick was not going to let it go, nor was he going to do what Josef said and "calm down". He continued to rant and rail about their accommodation arrangements; his voice rising higher and higher; taking on a note of hysteria as his eyes flashed to pale blue and he stamped his foot, demanding that the situation be rectified.

"Mick for Christ sake get a hold of yourself" Josef growled.

"Sir, sir please we can make this situation all fine, oui?, we will change the booking and you and Mr Kostan will have the married suite, see look I am making it all right for you" the desk clerk pleaded with Mick desperately, fingers hurriedly tapping away on the keyboard in front of him.

Subdued at last, Mick grabbed the keys from the shaking desk clerk's outstretched fingers and carried both his and Josef's luggage up the spiral staircase that rose from the centre of the hotel to their, now correctly, assigned hotel room. Josef followed hurriedly behind him, entering the room just after Mick and slamming the door shut behind them with a jarring bang.

"What the HELL was THAT all about, Mick" he demanded to know, angrily adding "there were humans down there Mick, you all but went completely Vamp in front of them, HOW COULD YOU BE SO STUPID"

Then Mick stopped Josef completely in his tracks as he heard him ask in a plaintive voice.

"Do you love me?"

"What?" Josef asked in stunned disbelief

"You heard me Josef" Mick said in a voice that was fringed with emotional turmoil "Do you love me?"

"Mick?, what on earth's bought this on all of a sudden" Josef asked carefully, "You know I love you, I've told you I do"

"I know that Josef, I mean....do you...'love me', I mean really love me, regardless of the" he struggled for a moment to find the right words "the...bond of siring, when that wears off are you going to feel the same way about me that you do right now"

"What? Embarrassed and disgustedly annoyed at the display you just put on? I should hope not Mick" he snapped then immediately softened as he saw tears welling in the corners of Mick's eyes. He walked over to him and took his hands into his own, clasping them to his chest and looking deep into his eyes, waiting for Mick's gaze to meet his own.

"Yes Mick, I love you, I have loved you for a very long time now; why do you think I was so reluctant to re-turn you in the first place" He reached out and tenderly brushed the tears from Mick's eyes "Hey, come on, what's bought all this on" he asked gently, all traces of anger towards Mick dissolved.

What could Mick say, that the moment they landed in Paris he felt awash with confusion?, that the surety he'd felt at obtaining this alleged permanent cure and reversing the mistake of Beth's turning had all but evaporated the moment the wheels of the plane hit the tarmac?, that he wasn't entirely sure anymore that what he felt for Josef was just the effects of the re-turning? No, he couldn't even explain it to himself, let alone explain it to Josef; instead he just shook his head, smiled and kissed Josef quickly on the lips "It's just Jet Lag, I'll be fine once I've had a decent days sleep" he said.

Josef didn't believe him for a second but decided not to press the issue. He nodded with apparent sympathetic understanding and climbed into the double freezer next to Mick; stroking his hair and making soothing noises as he watched him fall into a restless sleep. In the room down the hall Coraline lay awake, staring at the ceiling and replaying Mick's earlier 'display' over and over in her mind. Clearly she had underestimated the effect that Josef's re-turning had had on Mick, perhaps this wasn't going to be quite as easy as she had first anticipated. "That's ok", she thought to herself, lips stretching upwards in a grimacing triumphant smile as she realised how she was going to handle the situation "Josef will just have to be removed from the equation...permanently"


	21. Chapter 21

**Part 21 **

Josef awoke the next evening to find Mick already wide awake and staring up at the ceiling.

"Sleep well?"

"No" came Mick's monosyllabic reply

"Oh great" thought Josef "He's in one of his moods again"]

"Come on, get up" he said out loud, giving Mick a shove at the same time, "We're going out"

"Where?"

"My my you are in a chipper mood this morning aren't you" he quipped "If you must know I'm taking you to Lestat de Lioncourt's"

Mick suddenly sat bolt upright and stared at Josef in wide eyed amazement

"Ahh, that got you're attention didn't it?" throwing Mick his clothes at the same time "but no it's not THE Lestat de Lioncourt, just a Vampire whose read one too many Anne Rice novels and thinks it's rather quaint to use the name of a fictional character; however, he is one of the best tailors in Paris and you could do with a decent suit...now get up, get showered and get dressed"

"Yes Master" Mick responded cheekily, prompting Josef to lean down and kiss him

"Save that for later" Mick flashed a wide smile in response to Josef's words and Josef couldn't resist teasing him.

"There's that fabulous Mick smile I love so much, I was wondering where you were hiding that"

"Shut up Josef", Mick responded sheepishly.

Mick quickly showered and dressed, followed by Josef who then used the private line in their room to call for a limousine to take them to an address on the Champs Elysees. Arriving at their destination they made their way down a narrow staircase to a dimly lit basement to be greeted by a rather eccentric looking Vampire, no more than 5'4, dressed in full 18th century costume with bleach blond hair tied back with an ostentatious purple satin bow.

"Josef Kostan" he exclaimed merrily, gesturing flamboyantly and leaning in to kiss him on each cheek at the same time "to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit"

"Hello Lestat", Mick had to stifle a giggle, both at the name and the rather camp nature of the strange little Vampire in front of them "my beloved, Mick St John, requires the services of the best tailor in all of Paris" Josef continued, bowing deeply at the same time, enjoying playing along with Lestat's little charade of being an 18th century nobleman; when in actual fact he wasn't that much older than Mick in Vampire years.

Lestat busied himself with taking Mick's measurements, wielding the tape measure as if it was an extension of his own body, jotting down notes in a little black leather note book at the same time.

"You know, Josef" Mick said, looking at Lestat's costumed attire "I would have loved to see you dressed in your 17th century finery"

At that Lestat grinned widely and rushed out the back to rummage through racks of costumes, emerging with a perfect replica of a 17th century nobleman's attire.

"Put it on" Mick said excitedly

"Mick, do you realise how utterly uncomfortable that stuff is to wear"

"Please", he pleaded flashing Josef his best puppy dog eyes "for me"

Josef rolled his eyes in mock reluctance

"Oh Ok Mick, just for you" he smiled and gave Mick a quick kiss on the lips before disappearing into one of the tiny curtained change rooms, emerging a few moments later dressed in a style of clothing that had once formed part of his regular wardrobe. Doing a 36O degree turn and then executing a perfectly extravagant bow, he asked

"Well, is this to your satisfaction? my beloved"

"You look positively Dandy, my sweet" Mick replied, clumsily attempting to return Josef's bow.

Lestat clasped his hands together enthusiastically and declared "Don't you two just make the cutest couple; I hope you shall be blessed with many happy centuries to come"

"So do I", Josef whispered, reaching up to kiss Mick warmly and sincerely.

Noticing Mick's sudden discomfort, Lestat hurriedly changed the subject

"Ok Monsieur's, I have everything I need; the finest suit you will ever wear Mr St John will be ready for you by the following evening"

Josef thanked Lestat and peeled off a large number of Francs to pay him for his services. They then made their way back to the hotel, opting to walk back through the Parisian streets, arm in arm. Along the way a young Skinhead spat on the ground in front of them and yelled the word faggots in French. Josef glared at the boy and allowed a slight snarl to escape from his lips, extending his fangs just enough to let the lad know he was not the sort of person he should be messing with; watching with satisfaction at the look of sheer terror that crossed his face as he turned tail and ran for his life.

"What was that all about" Mick asked as they reached the door of the hotel

"Nothing for you to concern yourself with, my beloved" Josef replied as he lifted Micks hand to his mouth and pressed his lips to it, still enjoying playing, or rather reliving, the role of the dandified 17th century gentleman.

Entering the opulent foyer of the hotel, they were greeted by the site of Coraline descending the large spiral staircase.

"Josef took me shopping for a new suit, made by the finest tailor in Paris" he said excitedly, pointedly adding "you never did anything like that for me, Coraline"

"No, I was too busy teaching you how to survive as a newly turned Vampire, Mick"

At that Mick had the good graces to look down at the ground in embarrassment whilst Josef merely shot a fiery glare at Coraline, who returned the look with an equal amount of fire and hatred.

"Mick, just ignore her and go upstairs and wait for me; I won't be long" he told him, giving him a tender kiss at the same time.

"Why? Where are you going?

"It doesn't matter, I'm going to see a man about a dog colloquially speaking; I won't be long, I promise"

Watching and waiting until Mick had ascended the spiral staircase and he heard the soft click of their hotel room door opening and closing, Josef then turned and walked back out the door of the hotel; making his way swiftly through the myriad laneways of the Parisian streets until he came to a palatial residence built sometime in the 1700's.

Greeted by a servant as he pulled the large bell to summon those inside, he was lead into a large drawing room. The figure seated behind the ornate desk, in the middle of the room, turned around to face him before he his arrival had even been announced.

"Josef Kostan, I'd heard you were in town, it has been a while hasn't it; last I saw of you, you were wandering through Europe quite mad; the result of a little experiment with a certain compound you helped us create"

"Hello Lance" Josef responded, keeping the tone of his voice as even as possible "I believe there are certain matters we need to discuss".


	22. Chapter 22

**Part 22**

"Drink" Lance asked, offering Josef a seat at the same time

"No thank you, Lance" Josef replied, still standing

"Ahh, you don't trust me"

"Why, should I?" Josef asked

"Hmm no probably not" Lance replied with a sly smile "but please I mean you no harm, I bear no ill will or animosity towards you Josef, even if you are a...let's say an 'acquaintance' of my sister" this last word he spat out as if it was a bitter taste in his mouth.

"Speaking of your sister, Lance, have you seen or spoken to her lately" Josef said then quickly added in a firm tone of voice "Oh and by the way, your sister is no acquaintance of mine"

"What my sister does from now on is none of my business; she has been cut off from the family after her last little, fiasco"

"So you don't know what she's up to then? no whisperings on the vamp vine, so to speak?"

"Josef, honestly I don't know and I couldn't care less; she is dead to me and her family"

"So what can you tell me about this so called, permanent cure she claims to have then?"

Lance raised one eyebrow and studied Josef for a moment "Permanent cure? There is no permanent cure; there never has been and there never will be, you should know that as well as I do, Josef Kostan; after all you helped create the cure in the first place"

Unbeknownst to Josef, who was too busy keeping a wary eye on Lance, Mick had followed him and was now standing just outside the doorway; having managed to unlock the front door and sneak past the sleeping servant, who was supposed to be guarding the entrance, and had heard every word that had just been spoken.

"YOU LYING SON OF A BITCH" he screamed as he burst into the room bristling with unholy fury.

"HOW DARE YOU COME IN HERE AND INTERRUPT PRIVATE BUSINESS" Lance thundered "YOU YOUNG WHELP" with that he rushed forward and backhanded Mick across the face, knocking him clear across the room.

Josef rushed to Mick's aid, but Mick, already recovered from Lance's blow owing to the pure unbridled adrenaline that was running through his body, pushed him off and bolted from the room.

"Get out" Lance hissed, "Get out Josef, our business is finished, I don't ever want to see your face around here again; or I will kill you and that stupid fledgling of yours"

Josef ran from the building at lightning speed, moving faster than he ever had in his 400 years, until he eventually caught up to Mick and grabbed him by the arms; sharply whirling him around to face him.

"Mick, please, for god sake will you just...."

But Mick responded by picking Josef up by the shoulders and slamming him into the wall of a building just behind them, momentarily stunning him. Through the haze of his swirling vision he could see Mick's face contorted with blind rage and heard Mick's voice as he spewed forth all his fury, directed straight at Josef.

"YOU RUINED EVERYTHING" he screamed

"I COULD HAVE HAD THE CURE JOSEF, YOU COULD HAVE GIVEN IT TO ME; ALL THAT CRAP I WENT THROUGH TO GET IT; YOU KNEW HOW MUCH IT MEANT TO ME. I COULD HAVE BEEN HUMAN, I COULD HAVE HAD A REAL CHANCE WITH BETH A LONG TIME BEFORE WE EVENTUALLY GOT TOGETHER, NONE OF THIS BULLSHIT BETWEEN US WOULD HAVE HAPPENED; I COULD HAVE BEEN HAPPY, JOSEF" he took a deep breath

"AND YOU TOOK ALL OF THAT AWAY FROM ME, YOU SELFISH BASTARD, I HATE YOU, I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I FUCKING HATE YOU"

With that Mick turned away once more and fled blindly into the night, his vision swimming with tears of rage, leaving a completely stunned Josef slumped against the wall; unable to move or even speak, just as the strains of Night of the Lotus Eaters by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds drifted out into the night, from an open window somewhere in the city.

_sapped and stupid  
I lie upon the stones and I swoons  
the darling little dandelions have done their thing  
and changed from suns into moons  
the dragons roam the shopping malls  
I hear they're gonna eat our guts  
if I had the strength I might pick up my sword  
and make some attempt to resist  
get ready to shield yourself  
grab yr sap and yr heaters  
get ready to shield yourself!!!!!!!!!  
on the night of the lotus eaters  
mmmmmmmmmm don't you love my baby  
mmmmmmmmmm and don't you love my baby  
anymore_

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Josef sat there for a few moments more, before making his way silently back to the hotel, blinking back the tears that were threatening to overflow and pour down his cheeks. Arriving at the hotel and making his way up the spiral staircase to the room he shared with Mick ("did he still share it with Mick?, did he still share anything with Mick", he wondered to himself) he picked up one of Mick's shirts off the floor and held it to his nose, inhaling the scent of him deeply, still trying his damndest to swallow back the lump that had risen in his throat as he stared darkly out the window to the street below.

In the meantime Mick paced, directionless, through the streets and alleys of Paris. One part of him wanting to run back to Josef and say he was sorry, he didn't really mean what he had said, realising Josef wouldn't have kept something like that from him without a damn good reason; the other part of him still seething with rage and hatred. Eventually he found himself back at the hotel, standing there; staring up at the window of Josef's (and his, he added almost unconsciously) room, debating whether or not he should go up there yet.

Upstairs, lost in his grief, Josef was completely oblivious to Coraline rushing towards him at Vamp speed. He spun around just in time to feel her knock him to the ground and plunge a stake into his chest.

"Oh poor baby, so helpless" she pouted in a sing song voice, "well seeing as I've got you're undivided attention, I'm going to let you in on that little secret you were so desperate to find out about before"

Josef tried in vain to move his arms and legs, but the effect of the stake held him firmly in place. Coraline produced a small vial of red paste, the cure, and waved it under Josef's flaring nostrils.

"I'm going to give this to Mick, and when he's human again I am going to be the one to resire him and then he will be mine again, Josef; not yours"

"You Bitch" Josef managed to mouth

"Oh come now, did you really expect me to just give Mick up without a fight? And please Josef, he was never yours to begin with; not really" she paused and took out a tiny scraping of the red paste with a small knife she produced from her pocket.

"But first things first, I can't risk having you messing up my plans" with that she bent over him and rubbed the paste into the wound around where the stake had penetrated his heart. Josef felt the warmth of humanity begin to seep through his body, felt the very human pain of the stake piercing through his chest and tasted blood, his own blood, welling up in his mouth and overflowing from his lips.

"Goodbye Josef" Coraline said coldly and reached down to plunge the stake further into Josef's heart, just as Mick entered the room.

"CORALINE, NO!!" he cried out and before he even had time to think about what he was doing, he rushed headlong towards her and slammed himself into her, knocking her clean off her feet and sending her flying through the window to plunge to the concrete pavement below. He stood and stared out the window for a moment, watching as Lance stepped out of the shadows wielding a large sword.

"Hello Sister dear" he said chillingly as he pressed his foot onto her chest and neatly severed her head with one quick swing of the blade, disappearing swiftly back into the night before any curious onlookers had even had a chance to register what they had just witnessed.

Watching the scene below transpire, Mick attempted to summon up some sort of feeling or remorse for what he had just seen happen to the woman he once thought he loved and realised he felt absolutely nothing. Turning back towards Josef, he bent down and pulled the stake from his chest and stood back up.

"Get up Josef" he said, almost coldly. Josef didn't move.

"Come on Josef, I'm not in the mood for any of your games, now get up" just then he noticed that the wound in Josef's chest wasn't healing and Josef himself was making strange gurgling noises as blood foamed from his mouth. Leaning closer he sniffed the air and was hit by a sudden horrible realisation.

"Human! oh my god he was Human; Coraline must have given the cure to him just after she staked him" he thought to himself frantically as the full force of the situation hit him like a blow from a sledgehammer.

"JOSEF" he cried out, all hatred and animosity he had held towards him only moments before quickly evaporated as he saw his lover dying on the ground in front of him. He leant down and prepared to sink his teeth into his neck, ready to re-turn him to save his life.

"Mick", Josef managed to whisper, "you can't, you're not strong enough" his voice trailing off weakly as Mick leapt to his feet and rushed to the telephone to make a frantic, almost incoherent call for an ambulance. Returning to Josef's side he saw his lips moving silently and realising he was mouthing the Latin words to the Catholic Last Rites "Ergo Te Absolvo, In Nomine Patre Et Fillias Et Spirtus Sancti" and Mick began to whisper a prayer of his own, clutching Josef's limp hand in his own and pressing his other hand to Josef's ruined chest, trying desperately to stem the flow of blood.

"Don't leave me please don't leave me I'm so sorry don't leave me please don't leave me I love you I'm so sorry I love you I love you I love please please don't leave me stay with me Josef please I love you so much you can't leave me not now please please don't leave me now"

After what seemed an eternity he heard the wail of the ambulance siren and the paramedics quickly hurried up to the room, shoving Mick out the way and beginning to work desperately to try and stabilise Josef; stabbing IV's into both his arms and placing a ventilation tube down his throat to attach to a resuscitation bag. Once they were satisfied he was stable enough to be moved they scooped him up, placed him on the stretcher and quickly moved him down to the waiting ambulance to be rushed to the nearest hospital.

Mick hadn't even thought to ask if he could ride with them and he ran after the speeding Ambulance at Vamp speed, faster even than he realised he could run, some of the last words he had ever spoken to Josef echoing round and round in his head, cutting and wounding him like a knife into his brain.

"I hate you, I fucking hate you"


	23. Chapter 23

**Part 23**

Mick paced the corridors of the hospital nervously, desperately waiting for any news of Josef and how the surgery to save his life was going. Finally after 5 hours, which seemed more like 50 to a frantic Mick, a Doctor; dressed in scrubs with a surgical mask hanging loosely around his neck, tentatively approached him.

"Mr St John" he said gently

Micks hand flew to his mouth "Oh my god he's dead isn't he" he screamed as his legs buckled underneath him and he collapsed to the floor. The Doctor bent down, picked him up and helped him over to a chair.

"No, no Mr St John, Mr Kostan is alive" the relief on Mick's face was palpable as the Doctor continued "the surgery went very well, we've managed to repair the damage to Mr Kostan's heart. Now all we can do is wait and watch for infection, the next 48 hours will be crucial"

"Can I see him, please" Mick pleaded

"What exactly is your relationship to Mr Kostan, if you don't mind me asking?"

Mick thought for a moment and then replied "He is my beloved"

The Doctor smiled at Mick and patted his hand warmly "Ok then, just for a moment, he is still unconscious but he will be able to hear whatever you say to him"

He lead Mick to the Critical Care Unit, where Josef lay in a private room; looking very small and insignificant amongst the myriad of machines that were helping to keep him alive.

"Josef?" Mick whispered tenderly "Josef, I'm so sorry" he leant down and pressed his lips lovingly against his own "I love you, I love you so very much"

He sat back in the chair that had been placed just next to the bed and held Josef's hand in his own, closing his eyes and trying to send as much love to him as he possibly could.

Josef remained like that, unresponsive and unmoving, for the next week; during which time an exhausted Mick barely left his side, leaving only once to collect a bottle of blood to keep him going through the long days and nights.

On the eight day he was greeted by strong hands on his shoulders and turned to see Ryder England staring down at him, his face etched with a mixture of sorrow and sympathy. Seeing the questioning look on Mick's face he quickly explained

"Yes I was temporarily in hiding after that little episode with hacking government files, but I came as soon as I heard what had happened to Josef...I had to, he's one of my closest friends"

"He loves you you know" Mick heard Ryder say

"He rang me up a couple of times after the two of you had had one of your little...tiffs, completely beside himself" Mick smiled wanly as Ryder continued

"I've never heard him get that emotional over anybody Mick, he is in love with you like he's never been in love with anyone before; not in all of his 400 years as a Vampire"

Ryder looked at Mick's face and considered the expression that was painted across it for a moment.

"And from the looks of it Mick, the feeling is mutual"

"Yeah, yeah it is; I just didn't realise until it was almost too late"

Ryder smiled understandingly and squeezed Mick's shoulders gently.

"Go and have a break Mick, you look dreadful; you need to have a proper feed...I'll look after things here until you get back, you have my word as a scholar and a gentleman"

Mick merely nodded in agreeance and staggered off without saying another word, heading back to the hotel for a quick shower, a change of clothes and a decent transfusion of blood into his exhausted body.

Back at the hospital the heart monitor that blipped out the steady beat of Josef's temporarily human heart began to show a steady decline in rhythm and output, until eventually the screen showed nothing but a continuos flat line. At that moment Josef's eyes flew open and flashed ice blue, his fangs extending as a deep growl erupted from his lips.

"Come on buddy, we don't have much time; let's get you out of here"

Ryder quickly helped Josef, by now completely healed and once more a Vampire, to his feet and the two of them moved unseen, running at Vamp speed, through the hospital corridors and out into the street; where a large black car was waiting for them.


	24. Chapter 24

**Part 24**

As the car carrying it's three immortal passengers, including the eccentric little tailor who called himself Lestat, sped through the streets of Paris; Mick returned to the hospital to find Josef's room empty and the Doctors and Nurses frantically searching for any trace of their missing patient, who just hours ago had been at death's door.

Mick surveyed the situation for a moment, before taking out his cell phone and quickly punching Ryder England's number into the keypad.

"WHERE THE HELL IS HE, RYDER" he yelled into the phone as soon as Ryder picked up, moving swiftly through the Hospital and back out into the street at the same time.

"Mick, calm down; Josef is perfectly safe" Ryder said evenly "He's here with me and Lestat, we couldn't take him back to the hotel for obvious reasons, just sit tight and wait for us, we'll send a car to pick you up immediately"

"Ok, I'll be out the front of the entrance to the Emergency Department", without waiting for a reply Mick hang up and began to pace nervously up and down, looking anxiously up and down the street for the car that was supposedly coming to pick him up and take him to Josef.

Moments later a large black car, the same black car that had ferried Josef away from the hospital, pulled up alongside him. Mick saw the passenger side window roll down and Lestat instructed him with a merry grin,

"Get in Monsieur St John; I am here to take you to see your beloved"

Mick smiled at the strange little vampire behind the wheel of the car and quickly climbed in.

"I don't understand?" he began to say

"What? How Monsieur Kostan is out of the hospital"

"Yes, I assume he is a Vampire again?"

"Oh most assuredly Monsieur St John, and a fine one at that" he added with a wink.

Mick smiled and nodded in agreement "But the cure, it doesn't wear off that quickly?"

"It does if you've already taken it before, and besides the silly bitch did not give him a large enough dose of it anyway"

"Josef has taken the cure himself?" Mick asked curiously

"Oh yes Monsieur St John, back in 1794 during the reign of terror; he was living in France at the time you know"

"No I didn't know that"

"Well he had to test the compound that he and several other Vampires had helped to create, it worked but he found there was an unfortunate side effect when it eventually wore off"

"What was that?"

"Unless you are re-turned before the cure wears off, it sends you temporarily insane, poor Monsieur Kostan spent quite the number of months wandering throughout Europe after that; quite mad, poor darling"

"No wonder Josef didn't want me to know about the cure" Mick suddenly berated himself.

"Ahh here we are Monsieur St John" Lestat said as he pulled into a long driveway leading up to a rather opulent house

"Welcome to my humble abode, or not so humble as you can see" he said with a giggle.

"Your beloved waits for you inside, come I will take you to him"

Mick allowed Lestat to take him by the hand and lead him into the house and up a winding staircase to a bedroom at the far end of the upper mezzanine, where he found a smiling Ryder looking at him with sheer joy painted across his features and a resplendent looking Josef reclining on an elaborate four poster bed amidst a myriad of overstuffed and opulent brocade pillows; sipping a glass of blood from a crystal goblet.

"Josef" Mick said breathlessly, all the emotions of the past days coming to the fore in one massive wave that almost threatened to drag him under.

"Josef" Mick repeated, this time shouting his name with sheer joy and rushing forward to clamber onto the bed and sweep him into his arms.

"Mick, I'm so sorry" Josef started to say, but Mick silenced him with a kiss.

"Josef, Josef its ok, Lestat explained everything" he soothed "I am so sorry, I didn't mean what I said, I don't hate you Josef, I could never hate you...how could I ever hate the man I love"

Josef looked at him in surprise, he had heard what Mick had said when he lay in that cold Hospital bed in a coma, but had not dared believe it was really true; he had convinced himself it was a dream, an auditory hallucination.

"Mick?"

"Yes Josef, I love you, god help me I didn't realise it until I almost lost you; I love you, I love you I love you" he repeated over and over again, smothering Josef's upturned face with passionate kisses.

Ryder walked over to Lestat and gently took him by the arm.

"I think that's our cue to leave"

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As Ryder and Lestat exited the room and closed the door behind them, Josef took Mick's face in his hands and gently asked.

"What about Beth?"

Mick looked down and considered this for a moment before replying sincerely

"Beth...Beth is gone, I still care for her but I know now it would never have worked between us" he paused once again before continuing "perhaps I always knew it deep down, it just took falling in love with you to make me finally realise the truth of the matter"

"I'm so sorry Mick" Josef said, brushing the hair from his eyes.

"Don't be" with that he drew Josef into his arms and pressed his body against his, crushing his lips to his in a deep passionate kiss.

There hands tore at each others clothes, quickly shedding their respective garments, their naked flesh pressed firmly together as their breathing rate increased and deep throaty snarls of passion burst forth from their lips.

Mick broke away from their embrace for a moment and looked deep into Josef's eyes

"I want you, I want you so badly"

Josef mumbled a response and drew Mick towards him again. Once more Mick pulled away slightly and stared into Josef's eyes, radiating complete love and sincerity.

"No, you don't understand, Josef; I want you, I want all of you, inside me right now"

Josef hesitated for a moment. "Mick? Are you sure? we've discussed this; we don't have to do that"

"I know that, but I want to, I really do want to" Mick replied breathlessly, pulling Josef to him and smothering his face and neck with fervent kisses.

Josef reached for the small jar of scented almond oil that was on the side dresser next to the bed and flipped Mick over onto his stomach. Mick growled in anticipation as Josef spread the cheeks of his arse and poured the viscous liquid between them, spreading it around the entrance to his anus. Reaching underneath his body to take his throbbing erection in his hand, he gently worked one finger inside him, gripping the back of Mick's neck with his fangs at the same time.

Josef added another finger, thrusting slowly in and out, finding Mick's g-spot and pressing massaging it firmly with circular strokes as he continued reach underneath him and pump him slowly with his other hand.

Mick, half crazed with desire pleaded with Josef "Fuck me, for Christ sake Josef, fuck me"

Josef removed his fingers and pressed the tip of his erection to Mick's opening, entering him slowly, inch by inch; feeling the initial resistance give way as he slid all the way into him. He heard Mick cry out in momentary pain and paused to give his body time to assimilate this new feeling of invasion. Once he was satisfied that Mick was relaxed enough he slowly withdrew, only to thrust back him into again, gently at first; taking Mick to heights of pleasure he never knew existed.

With every thrust Josef could feel Mick's body shudder as he growled with one continuos deep sound that seemed to come from the depths of his soul.

"I love you Mick St John", he whispered in his ear, gradually quickening his movements as Mick lost all semblance of control and began babbling almost incoherently with pleasure.

Josef could feel the muscular ring of Mick's anus beginning to tighten around his erection as he thrust deep and deeper into him and knew he was close to orgasm. He gave Mick a few more hard thrusts and suddenly felt his erection stiffen even further, as the first pulses of his climax washed over Josef's hand and Mick arched his back and cried out, biting down hard into Josef's wrist, as Josef offered his free hand to the sharp euphoric bite of Mick's fangs.

Seconds later Josef's own climax tore through his body and he snarled and shuddered with pleasure as he sank his own fangs into the back of Mick's neck. He collapsed on top of him, completely spent and they lay there like that; revelling in the closeness of one another, before Josef repeated tenderly

"I love you Mick St John, I have never loved anyone as much as I love you"

He could hear Mick's breathing growing deeper and more even as he drifted into a blissful sleep and closing his eyes he lay against him and allowed himself to drift into his own blissful slumber; the two of them still joined together, just as Josef hoped they would be, for an eternity.


	25. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

"1968" Mick heard Josef say

"Beg pardon" he replied, as they lay curled up in each others arms on the large plush sofa, near the window that overlooked the streets of the city where they had made their home for the past 30 years. 50 years in total had passed since that night in Paris; when Mick had finally declared his love for Josef. The first 20 had been spent wandering through Europe as a pair of vagabond vampires; letting their love and their will carry them wherever it was wont to do, until they finally settled down in the Austrian city of Salzburg, birthplace of Mozart; their connection with and love for one another growing stronger with every passing decade.

"You once asked me exactly when I fell in love with you"

"It was 1968" he continued

"You were wearing the most god-awful ruffled and bellbottomed tuxedo and you thought you looked a million dollars in it...you looked so naive and charming and boyish at the same time and I knew right then and there that I had fallen head over heels for you"

Mick snuggled deeper into Josef's embrace, smiling contentedly as Josef lovingly stroked his hair just the way he'd always loved him to do.

"Wanna know when I fell in love with you, Josef"

"Mmm I'm not sure I'm going to want to hear this, but go on"

"Just now" Mick responded with a lopsided teasing grin and a wicked glint in his eye.

"MICK" Josef exclaimed, pretending to completely crestfallen, "You fibber" he shot back at him with a cheeky smile.

Mick reached up and touched Josef's face and spoke gently this time

"I do love you Josef, don't you ever forget that"

"Ditto" came Josef's whispered reply as they collapsed into each others arms, lips and bodies pressed together as they made love right then and there.

10,000 miles away in a small nursing home on the outskirts of Los Angeles, Beth Turner opened her eyes and let out a blood curdling scream.

**The End**


End file.
